Edo flags off inputs, support to smallholder farmers
The Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has flagged off the distribution of farm inputs to smallholder farmers in the state under the Nigeria Coronavirus (COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (N-CARES) programme. Input distributed include 1,200 cassava stems, 180 poultry feeds, 107.05 fish feeds, 122.694 fertilisers and 234 liters of herbicide. Others are 3000 day-old […]
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state
The Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has flagged off the distribution of farm inputs to smallholder farmers in the state under the Nigeria Coronavirus (COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (N-CARES) programme.
Input distributed include 1,200 cassava stems, 180 poultry feeds, 107.05 fish feeds, 122.694 fertilisers and 234 liters of herbicide.
Others are 3000 day-old chicks, 3000 fingerlings/juveniles, 39 farm kits and 60 poultry vaccines among others.
Speaking during the event at Umuegbe community in Oredo Local Government Area of the state, Obaseki said the state had earlier supported over 3000 smallholder and large-scale farmers.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Peter Aikhuomobhogbe, the governor said government had developed 300 hectares of land in Iguomon community, Ovia North East Local Government Area for the production of swamp rice.
“A similar intervention programme was undertaken in Warrake community, Owan East Local Government Area on a 500-hectare of farmland.
“In Usugbenu, Ugboha and Sobe communities in Esan Central, Esan South East and Owan West respectively, we empowered 1,500, farmers on the production of maize.
“For the independent farmers’ initiative, 1,400 smallholder farmers were provided with agricultural inputs to drive cassava, maize, rice, soya bean, poultry and fisheries value chain.
“Under the oil palm initiative, 63,000 hectares of brown fields have been made available for nine investors for the development of oil palm plantation aimed at making the state a leader in oil palm production,” he said.
The State Coordinator of EDO-CARES, Mrs. Ifueko Alufohai, admonished the beneficiaries to make proper use of the inputs to create wealth for themselves.
On his part, the state Coordinator of FADAMA-NG CARES, Edward Izevbigie, said N-CARES was an emergency Relief World Bank assisted funded Programme put in place to ameliorate the adverse effect of the pandemic.