(With Agency Report)
The Federal Government on September 11 distributed over 100 bags of fertilisers to crop farmers in the South-West Geopolitical Zone.
The donation, facilitated by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Agriculture, Mr Abiodun Yinusa, was made through the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Agege, Lagos.
In his welcome address, Yinusa, who was represented by Mr Rafiu Lawal, said that the federal government was set to rollout more interventions for the South-West region.
“The distribution of fertilisers to South-West farmers is part of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the Agriculture Sector. This is the first time that these fertilisers will come down to the South-West, according to what I heard from the farmers.
“We are here to ensure that this fertilisers gets to the right hands. We do not want them to get into the hands of the people that will go and sell them. There will be more agricultural interventions coming to the South-West across all sectors, including husbandry, livestock and fisheries.
“President Tinubu is ready to help all farmers to alleviate the hunger in the land,” he said.
Dr Femi Oke, the Chairman, AFAN, Lagos State and South-West, commended the government for the gesture and promised proper distribution and use of the fertilisers. Oke appealed to the government for more interventions such as machineries to help increase cultivation output, reduce food prices and ensure food security.
“It is a great day for us that from the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, we are receiving about 80 to 100 bags of fertiliser for crop farmers.
“This is a thing of joy for us, considering the current price of fertiliser in the market. This high cost of fertilisers is the major reason for hike in foodstuff prices.
“With this intervention, we will have reduction in food prices and ensure food security, as these fertilisers will go a long way for us.
“We are very glad to receive these fertilisers and that we are being recognised at the federal level. So, we can assure every Nigerian now that from what we are receiving today, we are sure that there will be food available on the tables of every Lagos resident and Nigerian.
“We need these fertilisers, so how can we sell it? We harvest pumpkin leaves and other vegetables every two weeks, so we have need of the fertilisers,” Oke said.
On his part, Mr Raphael Hunsa, Lagos State Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), urged the farmers to ensure judicious use of the fertilisers. Hunsa appreciated the government for the provision of the fertilisers, urging the farmers not to resell them.
“There were some farmers that collected this kind of inputs and sold them off, they are worse off after selling it. As the chairman of RIFAN, I will monitor and ensure that my members use the fertilisers for what it is meant for. We are glad that the eyes of the President is on the South-West agriculture and we hope to expand our productivity.
“We also call on the President for the provision of machineries to help boost our cultivation output,” he said. (NAN)
