Olanrewaju Lawal,Birnin Kebbi
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Friday distributed farm inputs to Kebbi State farmers who have lost their crops, animals and other properties to flood.
Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono who flag-off the distribution of the inputs at the Halidu Abdul stadium,Birnin Kebbi ,said that the seeds,seedlings and other items were distributed to them to alleviate their suffering.
“The desire to alleviate the loss and suffering caused by the floods informed the decision of the Ministry to support the smallholders farmers with various inputs especially improved seeds of some priority crops”.
Nanono names items distributed as 20,000kg of rice,50,000kg of wheat,3,000 kg of groundnut and 2,500kg of soybeans among others.
” it should be noted that this is the beginning of the series of distribution of the Ministry’s support to farmers who are victims of the flood disaster that occurred recently.
“There will be other input support distribution in other parts of the country where farmers have been greatly affected by the flood”.
In his remark,Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Col.(rtd)Samaila Yombe Dabai urged the honourable Minister to provide more fertilizers and other palliatives to the farmers in the state stressed that the items brought could not be enough for farmers in a local government in the state.
He informed the Minister that that the enumeration of the affected farmers were done by NEMA in collaboration with SEMA in the state.
Earlier, Chairman of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria(RIFAN),Kebbi state,Alhaji Sahabi Augie said that kebbi state is the highest producer of rice in Nigeria with over 30% rice produce in Nigeria come from kebbi state.
He urged the Federal Government to provide the farmers with more fertilizers which should be highly subsidies by them to ease the difficulties faced by farmers to procure the item.