To boost food production, the federal government has empowered farmers in Edo with 18,000 bags of fertilisers to enhance their production for the 2024 farming season.

Bako Dogwo, the state chairman of the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin during a meeting with members of the association.

Mr Dogwo said the 18,000 bags, equivalent to 30 trucks, were out of the 1,652 million bags meant for farmers across the country.

The AFAN chairman said the federal government had paid over 80 per cent of its counterpart fund, while the farmers would pay at least 10 per cent of the cost of the fertilisers.

“It is supposed to be counterpart funding, but our state government, I can’t say why it has not paid its share of the fund.

“But it is now left for us, farmers, to pay at least 10 per cent to get the fertiliser if it comes to the state. For example, if the cost of fertiliser is N20,000 we are going to buy it with N10,000.

“Also, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has just approved another fertiliser that will also come to the state, along with chemicals, inputs such as cassava stems, maise and rice for planting,” he said.

Mr Dogwo said the fertiliser was only meant for the actual farmers and not “portfolio farmers”.

He said AFAN comprised over 40,000 registered farmers; however, he encouraged those who were yet to join the association to do so.

Mr Dogwa also urged members to encourage women to join any of the association’s affiliates, adding that it would provide them the opportunity to be taught all farming techniques and benefit from inputs and other intervention programmes.

(NAN)