4,365 Rivers State farmers receive agro-inputs

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has on Friday distributed agro-inputs to 4,365 farmers affected by the 2020 flood in 21 Local Government Areas of Rivers.

NEMA Zonal Coordinator, South-South, Mr Godwin Tepikor said in Port Harcourt that the agro-inputs were distributed as his agency's intervention.

Tepikor urged the beneficiaries from the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area to make use of the agro-inputs judiciously for the benefit of the society.

He said that the distribution of the agro-inputs was in fulfilment of the verification and enumeration exercise of farmers affected by the 2020 flood in Rivers.

We are here in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to distribute directly, the agro-inputs to the farmers.

We recall that in June 2021 our officers were in the field to carry out enumeration and verification of the farmers; so the distribution today is an outcome of that exercise, he said.

Tepikor disclosed that every rice farmer was entitled to one 12.5kg of rice seed, two litres of herbicides, 50kg of fertiliser and one litre each of pesticide and growth enhancer.

For maize farmers, each will go home with one bag of 10kg maize seed, one 50kg of fertiliser, one litre of pesticide, two litres each of herbicides and growth enhancer.

Again, for yam farmers, it is one litre of herbicides, one growth enhancer and one knapsack sprayer, he said.

The Zonal Coordinator pleaded for improved relationship between NEMA and the Rivers government.

The Mayor of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Mr Ihunda Allwell, represented by the Deputy Mayor, Mrs Tamumotonye Douglas, commended the Federal Government, through NEMA, for distributing the agro-inputs to the flood affected farmers.

This is a show of love to the farmers, and I urge the beneficiaries to use what NEMA has provided for them judiciously, to fight at least some level of hunger,he said.

The Mayor acknowledged that NEMA had consulted with the LGA to establish those farmers that were affected.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Chioma Ihunda, a farmer from Orogbum community, thanked NEMA for helping them with the agro-inputs.