Eben Enasco Reporting.
With the surge in price of food commodities in the country going beyond consumers’ reach, Oredo Government Council Chairman Dr. Tom Obaseki says the Council has concluded plans to strengthen the availability, and affordability of food for Residents.
Dr. Tom Obaseki who made the statement on Thursday, during a stakeholders meeting with farmers of Oredo Government Council Origin held at the Council’s Secretariat, in Benin City, said the Council is prepared to launch the “Farmers’ Market” initiative, to boost local marketing of their farm produce.
According to him, the Farmers’ Market is expected to operate every week, allowing farmers to showcase their farm produce without any form of subjecting them to levies by unions. He added that the necessary arrangements have been put in place for the market’s prompt commencement.
Dr. Tom Obaseki urged that local food production should not be dissuaded because of the prevalent economic crisis in the country maintaining that the State Government is putting measures in place to address the food hike and support farmers to expedite efforts towards increased production of food crops in the State.
While recognizing the pivotal role of farmers in sustaining human civilization, he applauded them as resilient warriors who despite grappling with prevailing economic challenges in the country, just as he expressed satisfaction for their substantial contributions to the State’s economic advancement urging them to persist in advancing the local economy.
Earlier, speaking on behalf of the farmers is Dennis Imina who opined that the Farmer’s Market will ease the stress of doing business with market Union leaders.
He, however, pleaded with the Government to address some of their challenges including purchases of chemicals to eradicate weeds, inadequate machines for processing crops into finished products, as well as taming cows invading their farmland.