By Felicia Imohimi

The Coalition of Farmers Association of Nigeria (COFAN) and the Himma Youth Farmers Association of Nigeria (HYFAN) have urged the Federal Government to sustain the importation of fertiliser raw materials.

They said this should continue until local production capacity is guaranteed.

Dr Abubakar Bamai, COFAN President, made the call at a news conference jointly organised by the two associations on Tuesday in Abuja.

The event focused on the “Restructuring of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) and Its Effect on Nigerian Farmers”.

“Government should continue the importation of fertiliser raw materials until local production capacity is fully reliable to meet national demand,” he said.

Bamai said the government must adopt a balanced approach that protects farmers in the short term while building stronger local capacity for the future.

He discouraged any ban on raw material importation, warning that such a move could allow private blenders to monopolise the industry and further raise prices beyond the reach of smallholder farmers.

“Nigerian farmers cannot afford a disruption in fertiliser supply at this critical moment,” he said.

Bamai commended President Bola Tinubu for reforms and programmes aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s food systems.

He said the reforms reflected strong commitment to farmer empowerment, youth inclusion and food security.

He, however, expressed concern about the ongoing deliberation on the restructuring of the PFI, saying it could have immediate negative effects on smallholder and youth farmers.

“Rising input costs, distribution gaps, and uncertainty in fertiliser supply threaten to undermine the gains made over the past eight years,” he said.

“We deeply appreciate your reforms, but we appeal: do not kill the legacy of Buhari’s agricultural transformation on fertiliser access,” he added.

Bamai recalled that under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the PFI was a cornerstone of agricultural transformation, as it ensured affordable fertiliser through the importation of raw materials and support for local blending plants.

“Millions of farmers benefited from this intervention, which boosted food production and strengthened food security,” he said.

He also urged the Federal Government to involve the Ministry of Finance in managing raw material importation to ensure efficiency, transparency and stability in the supply chain.

Bamai reaffirmed the commitment of COFAN and HYFAN to partner with government, the private sector and development partners to ensure that the restructuring of the PFI protects farmers and strengthens national food security. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Tosin Kolade