Ebonyi farmers seek lower input costs for improved agric investments

For hundreds of farmers in Ikwo and Ezza South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, the distribution of fertilizer, rice seedlings and cash support marked a welcome boost ahead of the farming season.

Yet, beneath the excitement over the intervention lay a common concern the rising cost of agricultural inputs that continues to threaten small-scale farming.

The intervention, facilitated by Chinedu Ogah, the Member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, saw 5,000 bags of fertilizer, rice seedlings and N50 million distributed to farmers and stakeholders at Blessed Martins College of Nursing Sciences, Ohatekwe Amagu, Ikwo Local Government Area on Saturday.

The programme earned commendation from the Ebonyi State chapter of the APC, which described Ogah as a performing legislator whose consistent empowerment programmes, scholarship initiatives, constituency projects and regular engagement with the people have made him a model of effective representation.

For many beneficiaries, however, the support also highlighted the economic realities confronting rural farmers. Elizabeth Ngwuta Jane Okpo, among other beneficiaries, appealed to the Federal Government to reduce the cost of agricultural inputs.

Ngwuta said the income from her rice harvest last year was insufficient to pay her grandson’s Junior Secondary School examination fees. She warned that if farmers continue to spend heavily on production while earning little from the sale of their produce, many could abandon farming altogether.

Her concerns echoed those of other rural farmers who said making fertilizer and other farm inputs more affordable would encourage greater food production and help Nigeria achieve lasting food security.

For Ezekiel Ogboji from Ndiofeke amegu, while the lawmaker intervention brought immediate relief to thousands of farmers, it also underscored a larger national challenge: empowering farmers is important, but ensuring affordable farm inputs and profitable markets remains essential for sustainable agricultural growth.