Ebonyi gov distributes farm inputs to 2,900 farmers

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The Ebonyi State government, under the leadership of Governor Francis Nwifuru, has distributed farm inputs to 2,900 farmers.

The beneficiaries were drawn from the 13 local government areas of the state to facilitate their efforts towards increasing food production.

The farm inputs include fertilisers, rice seeds, cassava stems, agrochemicals, tomato grinding machines, cassava grinding machines, knapsack sprayers, day-old chicks, feeds, and many others.

Governor Nwifuru, represented by his Deputy Princess Patricia Obila, stated this on the occasion of the official flag-off of agro-inputs and asset distribution to the benefiting farmers in Ebonyi State.

According to Obila, the essence of empowerment is to boost high yields, as the government’s focus is to provide food security. He then urged the farmers to have faith in their government.

Nwifuru said, “Today we are taking the flag off because agriculture is the bedrock of feeding the nation, and everybody, including women, must farm. Our lands are fertile, even though people are talking about climate change, but our topography is good.

“All these inputs will enhance your production and move you from substance to commercial. Ebonyi has been feeding the country, and our rice is the best in the country.”

“You, the beneficiaries, should make judicial use of it. This is the first batch, and it will continue. Don’t sell it, but farm it so that in two or three months we can see the impact, which will propel us to do more.”

Earlier in her address, the state commissioner for agriculture and natural resources, Mrs. Nkechinyere Iyioku, commended the state governor, Francis Nwifuru, for his efforts in the ministry. She added that the distribution, which started today, would run until the weekend.

She further emphasised that the distribution has been scheduled to run for the three senatorial zones on different days and maintained optimism that individuals and cooperatives would duly receive their items based on the already-profiled and available data.

She admonished all Nigerians to return to farming, noting that farming does not stop one from engaging in one’s professional or career job, thereby truly addressing food shortages in the country. Nkechi Iyioku said that Ebonyi State is blessed and added that this is the first batch.

Also speaking, the State Project Coordinator for Ebonyi FADAMA CARES, Dr. Benjamin Uguru, stated that Ebonyi FADAMA CARES Result Area 2, which focuses on increasing food security and the safe functioning of the food supply chain for poor households, will support 2,960 beneficiaries comprising individuals and groups across the 13 LGAs in the state with grants to access crop and livestock inputs (rice seeds, cassava cuttings, fertiliser, and agrochemicals, broilers, pig feeds, and fish juveniles), including agricultural assets like rice threshers, cassava graters, water pumps, grinding machines, and others.

He noted that 50 feeder roads will be rehabilitated and 13 wet markets will be upgraded to function safely, adding that the implications are that the programme will support rice and cassava farmers to produce maximally.

He further stated that these areas of intervention are where the state has a comparative advantage in crop and livestock production.

According to him, “Ebonyi FADAMA CARES Result Area 2, which focuses on increasing food security and safe functioning of food supply chains for poor households, will support 2,960 beneficiaries comprising individuals and groups across the 13 LGAs in the state with grants to access crop and livestock inputs (rice seeds, cassava cuttings, fertiliser and agrochemicals, broilers, pig feeds, and fish juveniles), including agricultural assets (rice threshers, cassava graters, water pumps, grinding machines, knapsack sprayers, and PPE). Fifty feeder roads will be rehabilitated, and 13 wet markets will be upgraded to function safely.”

He noted that the programme will support rice and cassava farmers to produce maximally to ensure food self-sufficiency, enhance livelihoods, and improve the standard of living.

The programme will also rehabilitate existing feeder roads, carry out soil conservation measures such as erosion control, and upgrade existing wet markets to function safely.

“The beneficiaries are those farmers who are poor and vulnerable, whose farming businesses have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, who formed themselves into groups and individuals, and who have been carefully selected through laid-down criteria.”

Recall that former Governor Umahi, in the 2021 rice farming season, empowered 1,001 beneficiaries with improved agricultural inputs.

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