Agriculture
Registration: FG Targets 20m Farmers
The on-going nationwide registration of farmers is targeted at capturing some 20 million farmers across the country, an official has said.
The exercise is part of the Federal Government Agriculture Transformation Agenda, according to an Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Mr Yahaya Owoyale.
He told newsmen in Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State that the exercise aimed at registering genuine farmers across the country.
Owoyale is also the coordinator for the registration exercise in the state.
“This, we hope, will assist in doing away with those bureaucratic bottlenecks and facilitate the prompt disbursement of materials and other incentives for the benefits of the farmers under the scheme.” he said.
He listed some of the benefits to include provision of improved seedlings,fertilisers, tractor hiring facilities, provision of fingerling as well as granting of credit facilities..
Owoyale explained that the exercise which commenced in 2012, is expected to register an estimated five million farmers yearly to meet up with 20 million target nationwide in 2015.
“The registration exercise is expected to take place across every ward in each of the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with particular emphasis on the grassroots where the bulk of local farmers reside.
“This is the reason why the registration officers have been cautioned to exercise a little patience for the local farmers to return from their farms in the afternoon to be able to register.
Owoyale said that the exercise should not be construed as a political agenda, saying the only avenue a farmer could benefit from the scheme is to be duly registered.
Our correspondent, who monitored the exercise in the 11 wards of the local government, however, reports that it witnessed a low turnout of farmers.
The exercise which started on March, 19 is expected to last for three weeks.
The registration officers told our source that they were forced to abandon their posts to embark on a house-to-house canvassing before farmers could come.
The Tide source reports that the highest number of farmers registered which was obtained at Omu-Aran Ward 1 was 40 as of March 22.
Some of the farmers, however, blamed the situation on inadequate awareness and the failure of the past registration exercises to yield any fruitful results.
The farmers equally blamed the authority for not giving preference to the farmers at the grassroots as regards publicity.
Alhaji Abdulsalam Ademola, Director, Latus Farms, Omu-Aran, said the awareness was not enough considering the national outlook and importance of the exercise to farmers.
“Majority of the local farmers are not duly informed, may be the right communication channel and strategy was not adopted to get the attention of the farmers, especially at the grassroots,” he said.
Mrs Abigail Oyeniyi, a fish farmer, expressed disappointment over the failure of government to improve the living standard of the farmers as promised during the last registration exercise.
“I was among those who registered in 2012 exercise but up till now nothing has happened,” Oyeniyi said.
Mr Samuel Adeniyi, President, Agbeniyi Famer’s Association, Omu-Aran, however, said the farmer’s apathy toward the exercise was as a result of poor level of education and exposure.
He said the association had embarked on series of enlightenment and awareness campaign to educate the farmers on the need to register to be able to benefit from the project.
“Even if you have not benefited now, surely, you must have the opportunity one day, that is if you are duly registered as a practising farmer,” he said.
Mr Yemi Aransiola, Councillor representing Omu-Aran Ward 1, said the council had started mobilising the farmers to register.
“We have started educating them through their unions on the importance of the exercise and the need to have their names registered to benefit from the scheme,” he said.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.
