The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has inaugurated the distribution of farm inputs to smallholder onion farmers in Adamawa who were affected by the 2024 flood disaster.

The director of FMAFS, Abdullahi Abubakar, said during the inauguration in Yola on Tuesday that the inputs, including disease and pest management packs, would be given to 170 onion farmers in the state.

He added that the move was to ameliorate the plight of the farmers.

Represented by Omotosho Agbani, the deputy director of horticulture, Mr Abubakar said, “The distribution of these critical inputs for onion production is borne out of the government’s intense desire to cushion

the effect of floods on the livelihood of the teeming resource-poor smallholder farmers to food and nutritional security in Nigeria.

“It is believed that the inputs distributed will enable the farmers to bounce back on production, ensure the availability of onion bulbs, ensure food and nutritional security, create wealth and job opportunities, as well as earn foreign exchange.”

He advised the beneficiaries to take advantage of the free inputs to improve their livelihoods, support the government in achieving its target goal of self-sufficiency and ensure food and nutritional security.

The director appreciated the efforts of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Safety, Abba Kyari, and the management team for providing the inputs.

In his address, Jenongso Salihu, the Adamawa coordinator of FMAFS, called on the head of clusters to ensure that the inputs reached affected farmers for bumper harvests.

Mr Salihu, represented by Hassan Danbaki, the ministry’s senior veterinary officer, warned the beneficiaries against selling the inputs given to them.

Isa Adamu, chairman of the National Onion Producers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), Adamawa chapter, thanked and appreciated the federal government for the gesture.

One hundred seventy beneficiaries were registered under eight clusters, and the packs included seeds, growth enhancers, and agrochemicals for each beneficiary.

(NAN)