Rice growers in Hadejia, Jigawa have commended the state government over the introduction of farmer support services to increase rice and wheat production.
Some of the farmers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Hadejia that the gesture had eased the difficulties being experienced by farmers in accessing the commodity.
Malam Muhammad Sani, a rice grower, said that the programme had assisted and encouraged farmers to produce more due to the availability of farm inputs.
Sani said that fertilisers, seeds and chemicals were distributed to them under the Farm Cluster scheme for the rainy and dry season activities.
“Government encouraged farmers to form clusters to enable them access fertilizers and seeds at subsidised rate,” he said.
He added that the gesture had also encouraged them to increase production and mobilise participation in agriculture.
Another farmer, Garba Bulaki, also commended the government over the deployment of extension workers and the training of farmers on modern farming techniques, chemical spray as well as rice processing.
Bulaki added that the gesture would enhance farmer enterprising skills, add value to the produce and stimulate drive toward achieving food sufficiency in the country.
Also speaking, Abdullahi Baba urged farmers to resettle the loans given to them under the farm cluster scheme to ensure sustainability of the programme.
He noted that it was imperative for them to upset the loans to enable more farmers benefit from the programme.
Statistics from the state’s Ministry of Agriculture showed that some 36, 250 farmer clusters were registered and incorporated into the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrower scheme in the state.
The state government had also spent N439 million on implementation of the programme, and distributed fertilizers, seeds and chemicals on loans to the farmers during the past cropping season.
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