By Mercy Omoike
Small-holder farmers in Lagos State have commended the Federal Government for the free distribution of agriculture inputs in the state to boost food security.
The farmer groups made their commendations on the sidelines of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security distribution of the input on Thursday at Agege, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the distribution of the input is in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in addressing food insecurity in the country.
The Lagos State Chairman, Rice farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Mr Raphael Hunsa, commended the Federal Government for the intervention in the agriculture sector.
Hunsa also urged the farmers to put to good use the inputs and not sell them for selfish gains.
“We really appreciate what the Federal Government has been doing for farmers to produce more food for the masses. All these inputs that we are being given are real farmers and not political farmers.
“We urge our farmer-members to make adequate use of these inputs and not sell them.
“When we make use of the inputs and our harvest increases, the government will be willing to give us more, so don’t sell them.
“We want to thank President Bola Tinubu and the Ministry for this timely intervention,” Hunsa said.
On his part, a renowned agriculture stakeholder and farmer, Africanfarmer Mogaji, commended the government for the intervention in Lagos state, promising it will yield great results.
“For the last 25 years there has not been any direct benefit from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to Lagos farmers.
“So, this is a new beginning. I will say it’s renewed hope for the farmers across the river basement, and that is what is needed now, where everybody is represented.
“We have a Ministry of Agriculture that is willing to make sure that things get to the right people. We also have the Permanent Secretary but we need to showcase the results of the input we are taking.
“That is when we can encourage the Ministry that we are ready. So, I want to encourage you farmers to please do your videos as you use your inputs, tag them on social media.
“But most importantly, when you use the input right, your yield will increase,” Mogaji said.
He also noted that, “When your yield increase, it is the Ministry that will be running after you. So please, I want to encourage you to challenge the Ministry with results this year.
“This empowerment is beyond the fact that farmers have been supported, it is about the quality of the inputs. These are top brands in the country, and will produce large yields for the farmers,” he said.
Also, the President and founder SheFarmers Initiatives, Mrs Temitope Ande, thanked the government for the opportunity on behalf of women farmers.
“I want to say thank you to the Minister of Agriculture for this benevolent opportunity for women farmers in Lagos State.
“I want to let you know that with the inputs that you have given to us today, we will not disappoint you. We are going to apply it and increase our yields.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has a lot of programmes and support for farmers and I can tell you that there’s a lot of opportunities that will change the way we do farming, business particularly for women.
“We can’t be suffering in our active years and be providing food for the nation and when it gets to our late stage, we become sick because of the stress due to the kind of farming that we’re doing before, but now it has changed.
“I want the Ministry to know that this is not the regular input sharing that you’ve been doing before.
“We assure the government that these inputs are going to commercial lands for engagement. We’re going to apply and use it on a large acreage of lands, and we will show the result,” Ande said.
In appreciation, Mrs Nurat Atoba, a farmer beneficiary of the inputs lauded the government and assured good use of the intervention by the farmers.
“We want to thank President Bola Tinubu and his Renewed Hope Agenda and for taking care of farmers.
“We also want to thank the Ministry of Agriculture for bringing this inputs for us, we are grateful, it will go a long way to help us in this year’s planting season.
“We are all practicing farmers here today and our job is to produce food for the nation and we will continue to produce food for the nation,” Atoba said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
