Posted by The National Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria (NCNCSON) has expressed concern about the current farmers registration process in Taraba State.
The group expressed concern on Thursday, in a statement made available to journalists in Jalingo, the state capital, by its state Secretary General, Mike Adiel, about the centralization of the state’s ongoing exercise.
According to the statement, the registration effort, which is being conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to collect critical data for the agricultural community, has begun to raise concerns about farmer welfare and safety.
The statement stated that indications from the registration point show that the majority of farmers who should be beneficiaries are finding it difficult to get through the procedure.
The statement claims that the concentration of registration points has resulted in overcrowding, stampedes, and unsubstantiated allegations of fatalities.
The letter noted that many farmers lack critical information regarding the registration procedure, raising concerns about the data’s reliability.
To address the issues, the organization proposed decentralizing registration stations to ward levels or community offices, where local leaders have personal knowledge of the farming population, in order to improve accessibility and accuracy.