By Jimoh Ahmed, Owo

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High cost of herbicides, insecticides, farm implements and insecurity are forcing Akoko farmers to abandon their farmlands.

Investigation by The Hope revealed that farmers in Ikakumo, Akunu, Auga and Ajowa, the agrarian communities of Akoko have abandoned their farmlands due to incessant attack by  suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Recently, a 40-year-old farmer, Bayode Idowu, was attacked on his cashew farm in Ikakumo, while  77-year-old Babatunde Benjamin was also attacked on his farm by suspected herdsmen.

The two were  saved by divine intervention as they were nearly killed by their attackers.

A cross section of the farmers told The Hope that fear enveloped the farming communities in Akoko as attacks by herdsmen heightens.

They stated that aside the security challenge, loans and incentives for farmers were not getting to the right hands as they often end up in the hands of politicians and their party members who  were  not into farming.

The duo of Sunday Omogboye from Ikakumo-Akoko and Alhaji Saliu Aro from Afin, complained bitterly about the neglect of traditional farmers at the expense of  urban and educated farmers.

They appealed to government through their field agricultural extension officers to do a grassroot enumeration of farmers that will be given subsidies and incentives from the government to genuinely boost food and crop production in Ondo State.

The Agricultural Extension Officer in Akoko Northwest Local Government, Mr Mukaila Ayodele, urged farmers to always contact agricultural experts before embarking on planting  livestock farming as this will boost their production and facilitate profitability.

Ayodele advised youths in Ondo State to embrace farming as the state government has a lot of programmes for farmers that can make them employers of labour and financially stable.