The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State chapter, has bemoaned the little number of new seeds available to smallholder farmers to plant crops for the 2020 planting season.

Chapter chairman, Otuba Femi Oke, raised his discontent on Thursday during a media briefing on the situation.

Oke explained that small-scale farmers were planting old seeds that were bound to yield less bountiful harvests.

He added that the situation had left farmers with no other option but to purchase old seeds available in markets.

“Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, most of the available seed companies were affected by restriction of movement and unable to produce new seeds,” the chairman said.

He also noted that while the government was carrying out research to make things better, the association was yet to see the outcome.

This, he further noted, has made seed availability become a major problem confronting farmers.

Oke, therefore, called on the federal and state governments to establish more seed companies in order to encourage innovation and new varieties creation in seed production.

He also urged the government to assist farmers in ensuring that quality seeds are made available in sufficient quantity.

SOURCE: AGRONIGERIA