The Federal Government is soon to commence the distribution of agricultural inputs to Nigerian farmers for the 2021 wet season farming.
Theodore Ogaziechi, director of information, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, announced this, Thursday, in Abuja.
Ogaziechi said the distribution was to enhance production of food and balanced nutrition, create more jobs, and boost wet season farming.
“Government has commenced activities to encourage farmers with the roll-out of free inputs distribution to 7,500 small scale women farmers from the North Central states and the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
According to Ogaziechi, the ministry has performed similar exercises in Kaduna, Oyo, Kogi, Cross River, Imo, Kebbi, Jigawa, Gombe and Borno States by assisting smallholder farmers with quality inputs.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had foreclosed the 2020 rollout of inputs distribution to farmers, saying “hopefully, we will commence the 2021 inputs distribution soonest”.
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“The Federal Government is also disbursing inputs at a subsidized rate in order to encourage farmers and increase production,” Ogaziechi said.
He recalled that at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government through the ministry of agriculture gave out subsidised 5,000 metric tons of maize in support of poultry farmers.
Ogaziechi explained that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the release of the maize from the National Strategic Grains Reserve to support the poultry farmers at a subsidised rate of N90,000 per metric ton as against the market price of N170,000 then.
Ogaziechi said that release was also part of the general release of the Presidential 70,000 metric tons of assorted grains palliative to vulnerable Nigerians.
He said the minister of Agriculture, Muhammad Nanono also allocated 12,500 metric tons of food ration to the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, for victims of disasters.
Ogaziechi said the 12,500 tons were from the Minna Silos in Niger State which was also part of the National Strategic Food Reserve.
He said the ministry also simultaneously released the rest of the assorted food items as directed by President Buhari from its silos in Gusau; Zamfara, Dutsin Ma; Katsina State, Yola; Adamawa, Lafia; Nassarawa and Ilesha; Osun.
Ogaziechi said a lot of agricultural inputs were still in the warehouses waiting for farmers to buy at subsidised rates, as the government was mindful of, and took serious consideration on food security.
Ogaziechi said the government has 33 silos complexes nationwide with 19 under concession out of the 33, adding that the government still has 14 silos under its management.
He said concessioning was aimed at bringing in the private sector and increasing capacity utilisation of the silo complexes for the benefit of the farmers in particular and the nation in general.
“It should be stressed that the final handing–over of the silos complexes to the concessionaires is only possible when the transaction adviser has certified that the concessionaires have met all the conditions necessary.
