By Abubakar Yunusa
The National Association of Sorghum Producers, Processors, and Marketers of Nigeria (NASPPAM) has called on the federal government to partner with the association in a bid to reduce food insecurity in the country.
The newly elected National President of NASPPAM, Abdulkadir Ibrahim Gaya, made the appeal while addressing journalists during the inauguration of the association’s new executive committee in Abuja yesterday.
“With over 2 million producers under NASPPAM, if we harness their potential through both wet and dry season farming, food insecurity will be reduced to the barest minimum,” Gaya said.
He pledged the association’s commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s vision of improving food production in Nigeria.
According to Gaya, NASPPAM will embark on key reforms in the coming months to restructure and reposition the organization for the benefit of peasant farmers and stakeholders in the sorghum value chain.
As part of the reforms, Gaya announced plans to conduct state and local government elections within the association to ensure the inclusion of competent individuals with expertise in sorghum production and processing.
He also urged the federal government to establish a synergy with NASPPAM, noting that the association is well-positioned to identify genuine farmers at the grassroots level.
“Most government interventions are often hijacked by political farmers. We know the real farmers who can produce and contribute significantly to food security,” he added.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Alhaji Sadiq Umar, highlighted the association’s challenges, particularly the lack of integration with government policies and programs.
“To ensure the success of agricultural projects and programs, grassroots farmers and commodity associations must be involved in their design and implementation,” Umar said.
He emphasized the critical role of NASPPAM in advancing agricultural development and called on the government and development partners to work closely with the association.
He described sorghum as a vital commodity with diverse uses, including as food, medicine, and livestock feed.
“Properly harnessing its potential, could lift millions of Nigerians out of extreme poverty and significantly support the country’s agricultural sector,”he said
