AFAN in Kano to establish inputs shopping centres in LGAs

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano State is to establish inputs shopping centres in all the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.

The AFAN state chairman, Alhaji Faruk Rabi’u, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Kano.

He said establishing the inputs shopping centres was necessary so as to reduce the hardship being experienced by many farmers who now have to travel to the state capital in order to purchase the inputs.

According to him, the measure was also necessary in order to check the illegal activities of some marketers who sell adulterated inputs to farmers, particularly in the rural areas.

“The inputs selling centres will enable farmers to visit the centres nearest to them and buy herbicides or any other inputs they require.

“With this, no company will bring fake or adulterated products to the centres to sell to our farmers,” he said.
Rabi’u said that when established, the inputs shopping centres would enable companies to take their products to the centres for sale to farmers in their areas.

“Many farmers have been complaining of fake and adulterated fertilizer and herbicides. This is the reason why we feel it is necessary to establish the centres to save them from the fraudulent activities of such people.

Rabi’u said the association would soon meet with all the companies based in Kano, to intimate them of the association’s plan.

He said the state government had already given the association the go ahead to take all necessary precautionary measures aimed at saving farmers from perpetrators of such illegal activities.

Rabi’u said association had also planned to register all commodity associations under one ambrella, as part of efforts to strengthen the apex farmers association.

He said the association’s officials would soon embark on a tour of the local government areas to sensitise the farmers on its plans.

Azubike Nnadozie, with Agency reports