FG, Japan support 150 farmers with rice inputs

The Federal Government in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has supported 150 farmers in Gombe state with free rice inputs.

During the distribution of the inputs in Gombe on Wednesday, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, said the inputs were to support farmers affected by floods in the 2020 farming season.

Represented by Mohammed Adamu, the Technical Assistant to the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture (FMARD) Directorate Headquarters, Nanono said the inputs would help cushion the impact of the flood on the farmers.

According to him, many farmers lost their means of livelihood to the floods.

He stated that the impact of the flood on farmers prompted the collaboration to get farmers back to production and improve their means of livelihoods which would in the process improve farm family income.

He added that the intervention was also part of the effort of the Federal Government to boost food security.

“Today, farmers that could afford five bags of fertiliser some time ago can’t afford such now.

“This is because of the high cost of input, so now that they are having this support free, it will go a long way in making our farmers to produce rice, especially this wet season.’’

Nanono explained that the intervention was as a result of the working agreement between the Federal Government and JICA to boost rice production, adding that other crops value chain had also been supported in 2020.

The minister said that the policies of the Federal Government in agriculture sector was yielding results and encouraging more people to go into agriculture, adding that even civil servants were now growing the food they eat.

On his part, Dr Musa Inuwa, the Gombe State Coordinator, FMARD, warned beneficiaries to desist from selling the inputs, adding that the inputs had been given to them free of charge to assist them.

According to Inuwa, the ministry will monitor while also providing extension support to farmers to ensure that their crop grow well in line with the desire of the Federal Government and JICA to boost farmers’ income.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, Modibbo Sadiq, the Gombe state chairman of All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for the several interventions in the agriculture sector.

“Just five months back, we received support from the Federal Government as palliatives and now we are receiving agricultural inputs for rice farmers to boost rice production. This is commendable and we are grateful.’’

Sadiq also commended the Gombe state government for efforts being made to boost food production in the state and improve the wellbeing of farmers.

Supreme reports that each of the 150 farmers was given 50kg of certified rice seeds, four bags of NPK fertiliser and two bags of Urea.

Others are one litre of soil amender, four litres of pesticide and five litres of herbicides.