By Bisola Adeyemo
The Nasarawa State government in collaboration with the Rice Farmers Association has just concluded plans in assisting farmers in the state with an investment of N10 billion.
The State government, Abdullah Sule disclosed this on Thursday when he flagged off the sales of 1,020 metric tons of fertilizer, 1,950 sprayers, five tons of improved seeds and assorted agro-chemicals for the 2021 planting season.
It would be recalled that last year, the Nasarawa State Government procured and distributed 240 metric tons of assorted fertilizers to dry season farmers.
Sule said: “The state has concluded plans, in collaboration with the Rice Farmers Association, to attract investment of a whopping sum of N10 billion to assist rice farmers in the state under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.”
The governor also said that effort is being made to procure more quantities of fertilizer to help rejuvenate most of the soils in the state that have remained less fertile and unproductive, Thisday reports.
“It is pertinent to state that affordable technologies are critical to increased crop productivities. In this regard, government is determined to the strengthening of the extension services delivery system of the Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme (NADP), to provide effective extension services and train farmers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP),” he said, adding that “the fertilizer will be sold to farmers at subsidized rate of N5,000 only per bag. I wish to charge the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and the Local Government Distribution Committee to ensure that the relevant Small Holder Farmers benefit from this gesture of government.”
Sule concluded by sounding a warning that any illegitimate practices in the sales of fertilizer would not be tolerated and would be met with stiff punitive measure irrespective of the calibre of persons involved.