BY HOPE UWAIFO
The federal government through its ministry of Agriculture and food security, has distributed farm inputs to some small scale farmers in Edo state, to empower them and ensure food security nationwide.
The minister of agriculture and food security, senator Abubakar kyari who carried out the distribution exercise in Benin city, the Edo state capital explained that the gesture was federal government support mechanism to small scale farmers in the struggle to achieve food sufficiency nationwide.
Senator Kyari, represented by an assistant director from Federal ministry of agriculture and food security, Dr. Perpetua Iyere- Usiahon said that the initiative was in line with the renewed hope agenda of the federal government and core mandate of the ministry to empower farmers economically and increase food production.
In a remark, the Edo State coordinator, Federal ministry of agriculture and food security, Mrs Patricia Imade stressed the need for individuals, and private organisations to partner the federal government to achieve its goal of ensuring food for all.
She urged the beneficiaries to use the inputs judiciously to meet the objectives of the exercise which is to boost agricultural production.
The distribution exercise which is the second phase, had been carried out in other states such as Niger, Nassarawa, Zamfara and Sokoto and would be extended to other states nationwide.
There were good will messages from the Representatives of various farm groups such as All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Association of Rice Farmers and cooperative societies.
Some of the beneficiaries, chairman, AFAN, Edo state, alhaji Bako Dogwo, Mr. Emeka Josephat, Mrs Bose Okunoghae and Mrs Tracy Agol commended federal government for the gesture and sued for sustenance.
Inputs distributed include knapsack sprayers, growth enhancers, rice de-stoners ,power tillers as well as cocopeat and buckets.
