By Olamide Francis
Over 200 farmers in Nasarawa State have benefited from the Federal Government Agricultural farm inputs and rice seed distribution to embark on dry season farming.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, stated this on Tuesday at the launching of fertiliser sales and distribution of farm inputs to farmers for the 2021 dry season farming held at Nasarawa State Agricultural Development Programme ( NADP) office in Lafia.
Alhaji Nanono who was represented by Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Hajiya Karima Babangida said 200 bags of certified rice seed, 100 litres of insecticide, 1200 bags of NPK and urea fertilisers as well as 800 litres of soil amenders were to be distributed to the rice farmers in the state.
He said the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s sustained effort towards harnessing the agriculture sector for economic growth, adding that the intervention was a deliberate effort aimed at checking food scarcity during the COVID 19 era.
“The food production system in Nigeria is facing challenges caused by the effects of climate change which include flood, disaster and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The ministry has over the years been responding to the challenges of food availability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing farmers with various farm inputs including certified seeds, varieties of food crops such as rice, Maize, Sorghum, wheat, sweet potatoes, among others,” he said.
The Minister charged beneficiaries of the programme to make judicious use of it in order to increase food production in the state.
In his remarks, the Governor of the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule, said the state government would continue to take advantage of the rich agricultural endowment in the state to strengthen collaboration with agro-allied private sectors to reduce unemployment.
Nasarawa State Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Samuel Meshi commended the Federal Government for the farm inputs and stressed the need for adequate security especially in the rural areas to allow farming activities to thrive in the state.
“It would be recalled that, since the inception of our administration, we have made a solemn pledge to improve the agricultural sector for socio-economic development. It is for this reason that we have continued to give agriculture a pride of place, being the major occupation of about 80% of the Nasarawa State population.
“This is intended to improve the livelihood of the people, ensure optimum employment of labour force, as well as achieving sustainable food security in the State,” he said.