…….in Zamfara, Enugu states
The Federal Government on Thursday inaugurated the distribution of free agricultural inputs worth millions of Naira to farmers in Zamfara and Enugu states as part of President Bola Tinibu’s agenda to enhance food production in the country.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food and Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari while presenting the items to the farmers in Gusau said the gesture.was aimed at increasing the food production and mitigating the food crisis in the country.
The minister, who was represented by the Director, Mechanisation in the Ministry, Mr Sule Majeed, said the gesture was also aimed at supporting small-scale farmers in Zamfara with inputs and agricultural equipment.
“This is also part of the Federal Government’s effort towards addressing the underlying challenges impacting the attainment of national food security goals,” he noted.
The minister said the inputs to be distributed to the farmers comprised tractors, solar water pump, Faro certified rice seed, insecticides, storage bag herbicides, organic liquid fertiliser, Knapsack sprayer and power tillers,.among others.
“These inputs are to be distributed to the farmers through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
“This is part of our programme for increasing agricultural production and ensuring food security in the country.
“The Federal Government is committed to developing the agricultural sector towards improving agriculture and rural productivity as well as attaining the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially that of zero-hunger.
“I want to use this opportunity to reiterate our commitment towards strengthening the Nigeria’s agricultural sector for enhanced food security, while contributing to the eradication of poverty in the country.
“This is an alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, the Federal Government has declared food security as a national state of emergency on food security in July, 2023,” the minister added.
Kyari assured that the Federal Government had demonstrated total political will to transform the agricultural sector of the country by making food security a priority.
He said the present administration in the country under Tinubu was implementing numerous economic reforms to stimulate productive capacity, create jobs, and reduce cost of living.
He stated that the important goal of every nation was to attain food security,
saying, “this is an international priority reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’.
“This is to address the underlying challenges on our national food security goals to stimulate productive capacity, creating job opportunities and emergency responses.
“The humanitarian actions had also been taken to ameliorate food crisis in the country,”he explained.
“We also remain committed to promoting and creating synergies with non-governmental organisations and the private sector to enhance efforts at ensuring food security, economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.”
Responding on behalf of the farmers, the State Secretary, All Farmers Association (AFAN), Alhaji Abdullahi Nakwada described the gesture as a welcome development.
Nakwada said farmers in the state were ever ready to utilise the items to enhance food production in the state and country in general.
Earlier, the Coordinator, Office of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.in Zamfara, Mr Isiyaku Aliyu, described the gesture as a positive response to enhance food production in the state.
Some farmers in Enugu State have expressed satisfaction and gratitude over the distribution of agro inputs and equipment to them by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS).
The Federal Government through the Agriculture Ministry distributed the inputs to the small scale farmers in Enugu on Thursday.
Some of the inputs and equipment distributed include herbicides, fertilizers, knapsack sprayer, solar water pump, oil pail chisel, growth enhancer for rice, organic fertilizer for cassava, water pumps amongst others.
They were given to farmers captured under commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
A beneficiary and Chairman, Graduate Farmers Association, Enugu, Mr Patrick Mbah, while thanking the ministry for the gesture, urged the Federal Government to tackle issues of herders leaving their cattle to graze on people’s farm.
He disclosed that they lost 200 hectares of rice to herdsmen in 2024, adding that the inputs received would cushion the effect of their losses.
Mbah assured the ministry that the association would put them into proper use.
Another beneficiary, Mr Benedict Ekwochi said he was overwhelmed with the inputs, describing it as “powerful empowerment”.
Ekwochi, who is the Vice chairman, People With Disabilities (PWDs) Farmers, Enugu, said the inputs were a welcome development as it would help in boosting farming in the state.
“The inputs will boost our production next year,” he said.
Distributing the items the Minister, FMAFS, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the exercise was part of their programme to increase agricultural production and ensuring food security and mitigate food crisis in the country.
He said that the present administration resolved to develop the agricultural sector towards improving agriculture and rural productivity as well as attaining the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially that of zero hunger.
Kyari, represented by the ministry’s Head, Department of Information, Mr Ikemefuna Ezeaja, added that the Federal Government was committed to creating synergies with non-governmental organisations and the private sector to enhance food security.
This, he noted, would also boost economic growth, and poverty reduction.
The minister stressed that in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Government had declared “Food Security” as a national state of emergency on food security in July, 2023.
“Therefore, this administration has demonstrated total political will to transform the agriculture sector of our dear country by ensuring food security.
“The ministry has rolled out many programmes and projects to address some of the challenges of farmers and make food available, accessible and affordable to all Nigerians.
“This, we have done by facilitating agro-inputs and basic farm machinery to small-scale farmers who are constrained by the high market cost of these essential inputs, and thus need assistance.
“The ministry has also considered the implementation of short term plans and support mechanisms to make essential farm inputs more affordable and accessible to farmers through a transparent and accountable process,” Kyari said.
Earlier, the State Director, FMAFS, Enugu, Mrs Ngozi Nwakeze, urged the beneficiaries to share the inputs given to them with other members of their cooperatives.
Nwakeze, who advised them to make good use of the inputs to ensure bumper harvest next year, said the ministry would monitor them to see that they utilised them.
(NAN)
