The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has distributed essential agricultural inputs to farmers in Abia, Kebbi, and Yobe states.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to advance the federal government’s food security agenda and assist farmers nationwide in maximising crop cultivation, thereby improving yields and bolstering food production.
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The empowerment programme has seen the distribution of fertilizers, herbicides, and improved seeds such as maize to farmers in Abia and Yobe, and rice to those in Kebbi which are expected to cover half a hectare of farmland for each farmer.
The distribution event in Abia was held at the NALDA Institute of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship, where beneficiaries from all local governments, including those nominated by the state government and various farmers associations, received their packages.
Executive-Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, who led the distribution, emphasised the programme’s importance and assured of continued support to the farmers.
He noted that the beneficiaries’ contact details have been recorded for ongoing assistance and that the list of supported farmers would expand over time.
According to the NALDA Boss, the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerians have access to sufficient and affordable food.
“We are expecting nothing less than 340 hectares to be cultivated by these farmers,” Ikonne said.
Beneficiaries have expressed gratitude for the government’s support, while they committed to exert the necessary efforts to produce ample food.
Local officials, including the chairman of the Ngaski local government areas in Kebbi State, Honourable Manir Abubakar, have also lauded NALDA’s contributions, while he urged farmers to use the inputs for their intended purpose of farming, not resale.
In Yobe State, the NALDA team, led by the Director of Finance, Suleiman Lawal, educated beneficiaries on the optimal use of the inputs for maximum yield.
He stressed that the empowerment programme was a direct response to President Tinubu’s directive for NALDA to engage with farmers across the nation and supporting them to contribute to the country’s food self-sufficiency.
He recalled that President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on food, of which NALDA’s efforts are expected to lead to a significant reduction in food prices within the next few months.
It is also expected that in the next 3 to 4 months, the outputs from the programme, would help in the significant drop in the cost of food items in the market.
The empowerment of farmers by NALDA is a continuous exercise to encourage more Nigerians go into farming to ensure self-sufficiency in food production thus boosting food security for the teeming population.