ibironkeeniola 
The Kano State Government has granted farmers in the state permission for easy movement of their agricultural produce, National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Farouq Rabiu Mudi has said.
Mudi said that the association had met with the Kano State Commissioner of Police to sort out all formalities required.
According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Kano State as at yesterday (April 22nd) had recorded a total of 73 confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Kano State Governor, Albudullahi Ganduje on April 14 had ordered a seven-day total lockdown of the state, starting from April 16th, to check rising infection cases in the state.
Mudi, however, said the secured pass would help ensure hitch-free movement of farmers, allowing for free flow of essential commodities along the agricultural value chain.
He explained, “At last we were able to secure a pass and distribute to farmers.
“The farmers are at their farms working very hard; perishable food items are being transported to the city for consumption.
“Our main concern during this pandemic is the value chain; we want it to keep flowing. The supply chain continues and at the same time farmers earn money.”
AgroNigeria had earlier reported that the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alh. Mohammed Sabo Nanono, had secured presidential approval to allow for the movement of farmers during the lockdown.
In a visit to the Danbatta Dam, an irrigation farmland 30km away from Kano Metropolitan, AgroNigeria observed that farming activities continued as usual, with vegetables being harvested and transported for sale.
Some of the farmers shared their experience.
Mallam Salisu, an irrigation farmer in Tangaji settlement of Makoda Local Government, Kano State, explained that production activities had continued despite the lockdown.
Salisu said, “Lockdown affects only you people in the city. We are always on lockdown in our farms everyday; I harvest my vegetables and use my bike to transport it to Laberiya, a vegetable distribution market that supplies not only Kano but Lagos.”
Mallama Yarsalo of Kurna quarters, explained that she had no problem in buying agro-commodities.
Yarsalo explained that she bought six bags of sweet pepper, one bag of pepper and seven baskets of tomato, from a vegetable market in Gada – a settlement on the Kano-Jigawa border.
“We have no challenge passing through the checkpoints; the price remains the same. The only issue we have is with transport fare as I have had to take drops to and fro,” she added.
SOURCE: AGRONIGERIA