Ebonyi government has been urged to ensure that agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, agrochemicals, improved seedlings and processing equipment, are distributed directly to genuine farmers to boost food production.

Farmers made the appeal in separate interviews in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

A rice farmer from Ndiagu Amagu in Ikwo Local Government Area, Johnson Nwafor, said preparations for the 2026 farming season were in full swing across farming communities.

According to him, many farmers have already raised rice seedlings in nurseries for transplanting, while others have commenced land clearing and direct broadcasting on swampy farmlands.

Mr Nwafor, however, lamented the high cost of labour, describing it as a major challenge confronting rice farmers this season.

He alleged that government agricultural inputs were often diverted by what he described as “political farmers”, thereby denying genuine rural farmers access to the support.

He urged the government to establish community-based committees to supervise the distribution of farm inputs to ensure they reached real farmers in rural areas.

“The real farmers are in the villages. If they receive adequate support, they can significantly increase agricultural production and enhance food security,” he said.

Also speaking, a farmer from Agba in Ishielu council area, Chidiebere Nwali, described agriculture as a major source of livelihood and called on the government to increase investment in the sector.

He said the agricultural sector had enormous potential to generate revenue and create employment if properly supported.

Mr Nwali appealed to the government to provide modern farming equipment to improve productivity and increase food production in the state.

Similarly, a farmer from Echialike in Ikwo council area, Uche Nwoba, described Ikwo as the largest rice producer in the state and called for greater government assistance to enable farmers to maximise production.

A basin of rice currently sells for between N24,000 and N26,000 in Abakaliki.

(NAN)