FG Distributes Farm Inputs To Cassava, Rice Farmers In Nasarawa

LAFIA – The Federal Government in collaboration with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Monday began distribution of farm inputs to 1, 050 Cassava and Rice farmers in Nasarawa State.

The distribution of the inputs to the farmers for the 2021 wet season was under the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP).

Mrs Eunice Adgidi the State Coordinator of the programme who spoke at the distribution exercise, said the farmers were from 64 farmers’ organisations from Lafia, Doma, Wamba, Nasarawa and Karu Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Items distributed include 15, 050 kgs of improved rice seeds, 4, 650 bundles of cassava cuttings, 788 liters of selective and non-selective herbicides, 78,800kg of NPK fertilizer, and 30,100 kg of urea fertilizer.

Mrs Eunice explained that the VCDP programme started in July 2020 in Nasarawa State with the mandate of improving the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava.

She added that this is the second time they were distributing inputs to farmers in the state since the programme commenced in July 2020.

“We distributed similar inputs last year to nine farmers organisations in Lafia and Doma LGAs to support dry season farming.

“That supports yielded positive result following massive yield from the dry season farmers in the benefiting LGAs,” she added.

On his remarked the Nasarawa State commissioner for Agriculture and Water Resources Prof. Alanana Otaki, commended FG and IFAD for the programme which aimed at ensuring food sufficiency in the state.

The commissioner said that the Governor Abdullahi Sule-led administration had given agriculture a strategic placement in order to transform the state.

Also on his keynote addressed Mr Emmanuel Alanana, Programme Manager, Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme, called on the farmers to take advantage of the initiative to maximise their potential in food production.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Gini Yahana, a farmer, expressed gratitude to the FG and IFAD for the gesture which he said would go a long way in boosting food production in the state.

The farmers also appealed to Nasarawa State Government to support farmers organisations with tractors and other farm inputs.