Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Federal Government, through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), has commenced the distribution of 12,160 bags of fertilizer to members of the Edo State chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), in a renewed effort to enhance food production and strengthen national food security.
The distribution exercise was officially flagged off in Benin City by the Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, who was represented by the agency’s Senior Manager, Sam Idiale.
Speaking at the event, Ibrahim said the intervention forms part of the Federal Government’s strategic initiatives to support farmers with critical agricultural inputs, improve crop yields, and boost food production across the country.
He noted that the programme underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring food security, improving the livelihoods of rural farmers, and promoting sustainable agricultural development.
According to him, the timely distribution of fertilizer is expected to increase agricultural productivity and contribute significantly to the nation’s drive for greater food sufficiency.
Ibrahim also urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the fertilizer by applying it strictly to farming activities, warning against the sale or diversion of the inputs.
He stressed that the success of the intervention depends on the farmers’ commitment to using the support for its intended purpose.
The fertilizer distribution is one of several interventions by the Federal Government aimed at reducing production costs for farmers, increasing agricultural output, and addressing food supply challenges nationwide.
He emphasized that the success of the programme depends on the effective utilization of the fertilizer to increase agricultural output and support the country’s food security agenda.
While assuring that more federal governments are underway for farmers in the state, he posited that selling them may negatively undermine the state’s chances of getting more interventions in the future.
“There are more interventions that will come to Edo state . If you sell this fertilizer,it will negatively affect the future programmes that are supposed to come to the state”, he said.
He said the fertilizers are only for profiled farmers, and not for politics.
Earlier, the Edo State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Joe Usaigbu, commended the Federal Government and the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) for the intervention, describing it as a timely initiative that would significantly improve agricultural productivity and increase farmers’ yields across the state.
Usaigbu also urged beneficiaries to use the fertilizer for its intended purpose, warning against its sale.
He stressed that the intervention is part of the government’s efforts to boost food production and strengthen food security in Edo State.
Also speaking, the Edo State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Patricia Imade, warned beneficiaries against diverting or selling government provided agricultural inputs, particularly the fertilizer distributed under the intervention programme.
She urged the farmers to apply the fertilizer judiciously and in accordance with recommended agronomic practices to maximize crop yields.
Imade emphasized that the proper use of the inputs would not only enhance productivity but also contribute to increased food production and improved food security in the state and across the country.
