Agriculture
Youth Leader Charges Farmers On Early Planting
Farmers of Ekpeye extraction have been called upon to start planting early and put the effects of the flood that ravaged their farmlands behind them to ensure that they come up with increased yields as the rains are expected to come early this year.
Giving the charge in an exclusive interview with The Tide over the weekend at his country home in Ahoada, the pioneer elected President of Ekpeye Youth Congress (EYC), Mr. Sunny Ojimini –Maduenyi, said the farmers should start planting based on the nature of their soil.
According to him, there were some soils which were ideal in planting during the dry season and there were some that were suitable for planting during the rainy season and urged the farmers to take that into consideration.
On the forecast by weather agencies in the country of early rains that may lead to another flooding, Ojimini – Maduenyi said it was not good news for the farmers.
“That prediction shows that the efforts of the people, by the farmers especially of those of Ekpeye and all other people that would be by this prediction will be in rain”, he said.
He said the forcast not withstanding, the farmers should look for improved varieties and seedlings so that they can get good yield.
He said he was aware that the government was doing something positive toward that direction, even as he said he recently saw heaps of cassava stems at the Ahoada-East local government council headquarters, “and I understand they are being distributed to farmers although I don’t know the process of the distribution”, he said.
He explained that the farmers had the advantage of buying cassava stems also from areas that the flood did not affect.
According to him, there was a time at the height of the flooding that the people of Ibaa brought a lot of cassava stems to the Ekpeye people through HRM Robinson O. Robinson, the Eze Ekpeye Logbo and the stems were equitably distributed through the Ekpeye committee on the flood to various Ekpeye communities.
On the complaints from some quarters that government did not provide enough relief materials after the flood, the former youth president said it was wrong to say the government did not to enough.
According to him, “I won’t subscribe to anybody saying that what government provided after the flood was not enough”.
He said government could not do everything and whatever government does cannot be enough because it was not peculiar to this part of the world alone.
“Government will do what they are supposed to do and they have done what they are supposed to do”, he said.
On the opinion that corn provided to the area after the flood was alien to the Ekpeye people, Ojimini – Maduenyi said being used to processing or eating corn was not the issue.
He said during the season of corn, every Ekpeye man eats corn and they sell it either roasted or cooked.
On efforts being put in place to bring the environment back to shape after the flood he said the government agencies and various NGOs know what to do.
They know what to do to bring back the soil to what it used to be.
“They don’t need to be taught because they know the appropriate thing to do”, he said.
He said the only advice he had for such agencies was to fast track the processes of restoring the environment.
“The only advice I have for them is to put in place processes to bring back the land, bring back the environment to the old order.
“Let them put machinery in fast in place as delay can be detrimental to the well-being of the environment”, 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”.
