Agriculture

Rivers Farmers Express Joy Over Rainfall

Published

9 years ago

March 9, 2016

From Left: Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister of State, for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika and the Director General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Nimet), Dr Anthony Anuforom at a meeting on the Impact of Weather Variability and Climate Change on Transportation Infrastructure and Agriculture in Abuja on Tuesday

Farmers in some commu
nities of Rivers State have expressed joy for experiencing the first reainfall after nearly six months of harsh dry weather.
According to the President of the Etche Cooperative Union, Mr Godwin Akandu, who spoke to The Tide in a telephone interview recently, the first rainfall has raised the hopes of the farmers in Etche.
He explained that it rekindled the hope of the farmers in the area because for over five months, the farmers could not plant any crop due to the prolonged harmattan.
Akandu, who is also a well known farmer in the area said that the losses experienced by the farmers throughout the period cannot be quantified as every crop planted by the farmer all died out.
“The farmers are happy, they are now ready to go back to the farms to plant their crops and vegetables, especially those that have three months duration”, he said.
He, however, expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Governor, Barr Nyesom Wike, for fixing the Igwuruta-Chokocho Road, adding that farmers in the area were afraid on how to evacuate their produce before Wike came to their rescue.
“We thank Governor Wike for putting that road in order because farmers in the area were worried on how they will transport their produce to other parts of the state”, he said.
In a related development, the paramount ruler of Emughan Clan in the Abua/Odual Local Government Area of the state, HRH, Thankyou Obagana, while reacting to the first rainfall experienced in his dormain described it as God-sent.
According to him, people of the area especially the farmers were happy as they are all set to cultivate the land that they cleared before the long dry season set in.
The Emughan Monarch said that the farmers who planted early would now have the double task of replanting and replacing the cassava stems that were dried up.
While not ruling out an impending hunger occasioned by the development, he explained that providence had a way of sustaining the rural farmers during such weather extremes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Aminigboko Community Development Committee, Elder Chukwudi Georgewill said the farmers in the community have a big task ahead of them.
He explained that the ugly experience was capable of discouraging farming activities in the area even as he called on the farmers to take advantage of the first rain and start preparing their land for cultivation.
He, however, cautioned them to allow more rain to fall before going into serious farming activities.
“Locally we know that the first rain does not go deep down so it is important to wait and expect more rain before doing serious farming”, he said.
It could be recalled that rural farmers’ activities were halted in the past five months due to the prolonged harmatten and dry season.

Agriculture

FG, Ogun Distribute Inputs To 2,400 Farmers

Published

3 months ago

October 4, 2024

The Tide

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.

Agriculture

Niger Allocates 10,000 Hectares For Smallholder Farmers

Published

3 months ago

October 4, 2024

The Tide

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.

Agriculture

GO-CARES: Gombe Empowers 573,429 Farmers, Entrepreneurs

Published

3 months ago

October 4, 2024

The Tide

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”.