The federal government, on Wednesday, inaugurated the distribution of farm inputs worth hundreds of millions of naira to more than 10,000 farmers in Kogi.

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security (FMAFS), who inaugurated the distribution at the FMAFS office in Lokoja, described it as government’s deliberate efforts at boosting food security in the country. 

He disclosed that the inputs to be distributed in the ministry’s rollout exercise included power tillers, herbicides, liquid fertilisers, knapsack sprayers, and water pumps, among others, worth billions of naira.

Mr Kyari said that farmers in Abia. Anambra, Cross River, Imo, Kwara, Rivers, and Yobe states would also receive theirs through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs and IDPs.

The minister, who was represented by Abdulmalik Abdul-Ganiyu, FMAFS deputy director, monitoring and evaluation, said the gesture was aimed at providing affordable inputs to farmers through transparent processes.

“The ministry has considered the implementation of short-term plans and support mechanisms to make essential farm inputs more affordable and accessible to farmers through a transparent and accountable process.

“Our foremost concern is the facilitation of agro-inputs and basic farm machinery to small-scale farmers, who are constrained by the high market cost of these essential inputs and thus need assistance.

“The goal is to support our farmers and boost food production in the country to attain the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially that of zero hunger, while also mitigating the food crisis in the country,” he stated.

The minister urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of these inputs to produce more food for the nation.

Earlier in his remarks, commissioner for agriculture, Timothy Ojomah, described the empowerment as a symbolic one that cuts across all the agricultural cooperative societies in Kogi.

Mr Ojomah assured the farmers that 2026 would be a great year in food production, stressing that the empowerment was only a benefit to boost dry season farming, and it’s free.

He praised President Bola Tinubu for always breaking records in achieving greatness for the people of the country agriculture-wise.

Saliu Adobanyi, AFAN chairman, Kogi chapter, thanked both the federal and state governments for the tremendous support being rendered to farmers in the state.

He advised farmers who benefited to move to the farm immediately and start making use of the materials to ensure practical results that will boost food production in the state.

Esther Audu, chairperson, Nigeria Women in Agriculture Cooperative Federation Limited, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked Mr Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Ododo for the gesture, which she said is very encouraging. 

(NAN)