Subsidy: Rice millers commend Tinubu’s plans for farmers

The Abakaliki Rice Millers Association in Ebonyi has hailed the Federal Government’s plans to boost farm produce in an effort to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy. President Bola Tinubu, on Monday in a nationwide broadcast, assured Nigerians of adequate food sufficiency and security. According to Tinubu, the government will ensure staple foods are available and affordable. “To this end, I have ordered the release of 200,000 metric tonnes of grains from strategic reserves to households across the 36 states and FCT to moderate prices. “We are also providing 225,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser, seedlings and other inputs to farmers who are committed to our food security agenda,” Tinubu added. Reacting to the development on Tuesday, Mr Linus Nkwuda, Chairman of the millers association said that President Tinubu’s plans to boost agriculture was a welcome development. Nkwuda, however, decried the way inputs and seedlings meant for farmers had been diverted in the past. He appealed to the federal government to distribute such items directly to the farmers. “The items; fertilizer and seedlings as listed by the President during the broadcast, are very important to all farmers. We are happy. “We need those items to succeed. Loans are also important. We commend the President and urge him not to involve political farmers during implementation,” he said. Mr Kenneth Chigozie, Secretary of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Abakaliki branch, also urged the president to work directly with the farmers at the hinterland in the efforts to ensure food security. Chigozie noted that working directly  with farmers would ensure transparency in the distribution of farm inputs meant for its members. Chigozie, however, expressed worry about how the farmers had suffered since the removal of fuel subsidy, adding that members were faced with challenges associated with the high cost of production. He described the cost of inputs, such as seedlings, herbicides, pesticides and fertiliser as well as hiring of labourers, as worrisome. “We are happy, President Tinubu is remembering us, the farmers. His promises to us during the nationwide broadcast are a welcome development. “Our prayer is that, let those items and monies attached come to us directly,” Chigozie added. 

FG distributes subsidized farm inputs to farmers in Kano

The Federal Government on Monday kick-started the distribution of subsidized farm inputs to farmers in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State. The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Afolabi, announced this during the inauguration of the distribution event in the ATASP-1 States, including Jigawa, Kebbi, Niger, and Sokoto. Dr. Ernest Afolabi, represented by Malam Tanimu Ibrahim, the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, stated that the distribution marked the beginning of the 2023 delivery of subsidized inputs to approximately 60,000 farmers across the participating states. The program, which was initiated in March 2015, aims to enhance food and nutrition security, attract private-sector investments in agriculture, reduce post-harvest losses, and add value to local agricultural produce. Under the Commodity Value Chain Development component, the Federal Government, through the ministry, has been providing crucial production inputs to support farmers, emphasizing the importance of transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the input delivery process. To make the program more efficient, the government approved the introduction and use of an ICT platform for input delivery to farmers this year, highlighting the significance of this notable improvement. The Permanent Secretary reaffirmed the current administration’s commitment to boost agricultural production in the country, emphasizing the vital role of agriculture in achieving food security. Governor Abba Yusuf commended the initiative, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Aminu Gwarzo. He reiterated his administration’s dedication to providing farmers with affordable avenues to access soft loans from credible financial institutions, thus enhancing food security in the state. Alhaji Faruk Mudi, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano State, assured that the farmers would utilize the inputs efficiently to produce diverse food crops, reflecting their commitment to agricultural growth and sustainability.

FG/IFAD-VCDP distribute agric inputs to 363 smallholder farmers

The Federal Government and International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD) assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), on Sunday, distributed agricultural inputs to 363 smallholder cassava and rice farmers in Nasarawa State. Dr Eunice Adgidzi, State Programme Coordinator, FG/IFAD-VCDP, stated this at the flagoff of the 2023 wet season agricultural inputs distribution exercise in Lafia. Adgidzi said that distribution of the agricultural inputs to the smallholder farmers was to improve their livelihood and enhance their productivity towards ensuring food security in Nasarawa State and the country. She noted that smallholder farmers were at the centre Nigeria’s food security drive as they accounted for about 90 per cent of agricultural produce in the country. “However, these farmers have always been the primary victims of threat to agriculture including insecurity, climate change, rising cost of inputs among other. “These factors pose grave threat to their productivity thereby leading to the current high rate of poverty among them, hence the need for the support,” she said. The programme coordinator said the 363 smallholder farmer were drawn from Lafia, Doma, Wamba, Nasarawa and Karu Local Government Areas of the State. She listed the agriculture inputs distributed to include 1, 800 kg of improved rice seeds, 1,650 bundles of cassava stems, 402 bags of fertilisers (NPK and Urea) as well as 156 litres of selective and non-selective herbicides. She called on the farmers to effectively utilise the inputs in order to enhance their productivity for the benefit of everyone in the state. In her remarks, Dr Fatima Aliyu, National Programme Coordinator FG/IFAD-VCDP, commended the Nasarawa State Government for keying into the programme, which had recorded tremendous successes in the state within the last three years. Represented by Hamza Shehu, Technical Assistant to National Programme Coordinator, Aliyu particularly lauded Gov Abdullahi Sule for supporting the vision of VCDP and making agriculture a top priority. “We are proud of the achievements in this State and will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensuring that we give smallholder farmers a more quality livelihood,” she said. Aliyu, therefore, urged the farmers to make the most use of the inputs bearing in mind that the whole nation was looking up to them for survival. Also speaking, Mr Isa Eya, Permanent Secretary, Nasarawa Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, lauded FG/IFAD-VCDP for the support to farmers in the state. He pointed out that distribution of the inputs was timely and in compliance with the 2023 seasonal rainfall prediction by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (Nimet). Eya also encouraged the smallholder farmers to fully deploy the knowledge acquired through VCDP over the years on good agronomic practices in order to surmount the numerous challenges to agricultural production in the state.