Agriculture
THE Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has supported 600 farmers in Gombe State with free potato inputs.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Aljaji Sabi Nanono, said at the distribution of the inputs on Saturday in Gombe said it would help to boost food security.
Nanono was represented by the Gombe State Coordinator, FMARD, Dr Musa Inuwa.
He said with Nigeria’s growing population, the demand for food would be higher in the future.
Nanono said the several interventions by the Federal Government were to ensure that “we are able to feed ourselves in the future and if possible export to earn foreign exchange.’’
According to him, the 600 farmers will also benefit from the 12, 000 bundles of potato vines that will be given to the state.
He advised the farmers to take the inputs seriously to meet the essence of the intervention which was to boost their incomes and improve their livelihoods.
Mr Adegoke Adedamola, Desk Officer, Potato Value Chain, FMARD Directorate Headquarters, who trained potato farmers in the state before the distribution of the inputs said training was key to enhance the capacity of farmers.
Adedamola said it was time farmers began to do the right thing in agriculture, adding that farming should be treated as business for farmers to benefit from the vocation.
He stated that whenever the ministry was given any special variety of potato, training was key to ensure that farmers were given the right knowledge on how to cultivate, nurture and harvest.
Earlier, Gombe Commissioner of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Mr Muhammad Magaji, appreciated the Federal Government for distributing the potato inputs to farmers in the state.
Magaji recalled that the Federal Government recently gave rice inputs to 150 farmers in the state.
“Today we are here again for another distribution; this is good for farmers in the state, ’’ he said.
According to him, the inputs will boost food security and help address poverty amongst farmers in the state.
The commissioner appealed to the Federal Government to help farmers with processing machines to help them maximise the value chain and make more income from cultivating the special variety.
Alhaji Modibbo Sadiq, the state Chairman, Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria, who spoke on behalf of the farmers, thanked the Federal Government for the intervention.
Sadiq said the inputs would help his members to boost their productivity.
He added that his association was working with critical stakeholders to ensure processing and marketing of the commodity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the farmers were trained on how to cultivate, nurture and harvest the potato as well as the different processing techniques to harness the value chain. (NAN)
– July 24, 2021 @ 17:38 GMT |
Tags: FG supports 600 farmers in Gombe
