By Douglas Okoro
The Federal Government has distributed assorted farm inputs to smallholder farmers in Ebonyi to boost food production and guarantee food security.
The distribution was performed in Abakaliki by Mr Ikemefuna Ezeaja, an Assistant Director of Communication in the Agriculture Ministry on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari.
Kyari said that the gesture was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the declaration of state of emergency on food security by the Federal Government in July, 2023.
The minister said that the administration had demonstrated strong political will to reposition the agricultural sector by empowering real farmers with the needed support.
According to him, the inputs distributed include herbicides, fertilisers, plastic crates, knapsack sprayers, FARO 44 rice seeds, electronic weighing scales and water pumps.
He said that the inputs were handed out through commodity associations, cooperative groups, bodies of farmers with special needs as well as internally displaced persons (IDPs).
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this historic event of inputs distribution to farmers in Ebonyi on our way forward to delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“This administration has made food security a priority and is supporting smallholder farmers with inputs and equipment to boost agricultural production and ensure national food security,” Kyari said.
He stressed that the present administration was committed to strengthening agriculture to improve rural productivity and reduce poverty in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on Zero Hunger.
Dr William Obazi, the Coordinator of the Ministry in Ebonyi, said the farm inputs would be distributed to real farmers through cooperative societies and farmers associations across the state.
“We have registered a good number of cooperative societies to ensure these inputs reach the actual farmers.
“The minister has made it clear that agriculture is a real business and every Nigerian should face it with vigour so that food will be available, affordable and even surplus for export,” Obazi said.
Also speaking, Mrs Comfort Ifedinachi, National President of She Grows Her Food Cooperative Society, commended the federal and state governments for taking the distribution down to the grassroots.
She praised Gov. Francis Nwifuru for creating an enabling environment for farming, stressing that food prices in the state had become more stable due to government interventions.
“I am so delighted because, unlike before, rice is now affordable at between N18,000 and N20,000 per bushel.
“These inputs are worth millions of naira and they are being given to real farmers, not political farmers.
“We assure the government that we will put them to good use, especially for dry season farming,” Ifedinachi said.
Mr Chinedu Nwigwe, Chairman of Chiamaka Cooperative Society, said the intervention would encourage farmers to embark on year-round farming.
“With these inputs, many farmers will farm all year and ensure food is available. Already, staple foods such as garri and rice are becoming more affordable in the local market,” Nwigwe said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the distribution is part of Federal government’s efforts to mitigate food crisis, increase agricultural production and ensure food sufficiency across the country. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu
