From Okwe Obi, Abuja

The Federal Government has flagged-off the distribution of free agricultural inputs and quality seeds to smallholders farmers in Gombe State, stating that it would ensure food and nutrition security, create more jobs for teaming Nigerian youths and boost dry-season farming.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri
while performing the exercise at the Ministry’s office complex in Gombe, Gombe State at the weekend, said that it is part of the mitigation measures against the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and the flood disaster that wrecked havoc on the farmlands.

In a statement by the Chief Information Officer in the ministry, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, he said the Ministry would support breeder and foundation seed production and link up with the private seed companies to ensure that certified seeds are available to local farmers nationwide.

“The ministry has supported Gombe state with subsidized inputs with over 350 3HP and 30 7HP irrigation pumps, multipurpose threshers, over 70 Motorized and dual powered sprayers amongst others.

“Under our world bank assisted nutrition Programme, we have provided multiple trainings and homestead farming input packages including tomato, pepper, pawpaw among others in 5 local government areas in the state as well as irrigation kits designed to improve the household nutrition.

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“The small holder farmers in the State will today receive the following free inputs; 10,000 Gum Arabic Seedlings, 15MT of rice seed, 2.5 MT groundnut foundation seeds, 1,000 KG of Castor seeds, 1,500 KG of cashew nuts as well as Ratkin and Liptol – organic insecticides to combat army worm infestation and Equipment like water pumps, maize threshers among others’’

“So far, the ministry has performed similar exercise in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Oyo, Cross River and Imo states, with this being the 8th edition, assisting smallhohders farmers with quality inputs to ensure sustainable food security, job creation and revenue generation to grow the nation’s economy’,” he said.

The Minister emphasized that “35% of these inputs are targeted at the women farmers, this is in line with the targets set in our national gender action plan and policies aimed at ensuring increased opportunities for women.

“In order to alleviate the effect of flood on farmers, inputs were distributed to farmers in Jigawa, Kebbi, Nasarawa and Benue state.”

He tasked the beneficiaries to make judicious use of these inputs to produce food for the nation while calling on other stakeholders to provide similar support to farmers ‘’so that together we can defeat COVID-19 Pandemic and become self- sufficient in food production.”

Meanwhile, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari-led government for the flag-off of the distribution of the inputs and quality seeds to smallholder farmers in the state, stating that it would cushion the effect of COVID – 19 Pandemic, promote dry-season farming, boost production and generate income for the farmers and the state at large.