EKSG distributes farm implements to 500 farmers

The Ekiti Government says it has distributed agricultural inputs and farming implements to no fewer than 500 farmers to boost agriculture production in the state.

Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, the Special Adviser to Gov. Biodun Oyebanji on Agriculture and Food Security, while distributing the items in Ado-Ekiti, said it was part of the efforts of Oyebanji's administration to ensure food surplus in the state.

Boluwade said that objective of the scheme was to ensure food security and the functioning of food supply chains for the poor households.

He said that the items distributed included: water pumping machines, pepper grinding machines, poultry feeds, fish feeds, drugs, vaccine, fish fingerlings, day-old chicks and knapsack sprayer.

Boluwade in said that the water pumping machines could be used to pump water from the water body to wet their crops such as rice and vegetables during the dry season to generate income.

He appealed to arable crops farmers to be patience as the hybrid maize and rice seeds, as well as cassava stems already procured would not be distributed until the onset of the rainy season in 2023.

The special adviser urged the farmers to be security conscious while working on their farms.

He urged them to raise alarm and inform the security agents whenever they notice any strange faces and movements in their farm locations.

Boluwade, however, called on the traditional rulers to collaborate with the state government and other security agents to protect their subjects, especially farmers.