Gombe farmers get free maize, rice seeds

Speaking during the flag-off of the distribution programme at Baure village in Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the state, the Provost of the college Mallam Salisu M. Yusuf, said the seeds are certified and once a farmer gets certified seeds he has already gotten 55% of yield expected, adding, “So if all these farmers […]

Speaking during the flag-off of the distribution programme at Baure village in Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the state, the Provost of the college Mallam Salisu M. Yusuf, said the seeds are certified and once a farmer gets certified seeds he has already gotten 55% of yield expected, adding, “So if all these farmers can use the seeds appropriately, they are definitely going to benefit immensely and it will no doubt boost agriculture in the country.
“Seventy percent of our population are farmers and by the time you have 70% of the population getting higher yield then there will be food security and income generation will increase which will contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Since these seeds are resistant to all these, the expectation is that the farmers will get high yields when they plant the seeds,” he added.
Coordinator of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAP-Nig), Francis Osometha, said the seeds are given by WAAP and is set to boost agriculture in the country.
He said rice seeds have short time to mature, saying the rice can mature in less than three months while the maize is drought resistant, adding, “There are 55 metric tons mainly of maize and rice to be given to 800 framers, the sorghum is coming very soon.”
Inuwa Hussaini, a farmer who got the seeds, called on the government to make fertilizer available for the farmers so that the aim of the programme for distributing the seeds which is to boost agriculture in the area is achieved.
Hussaini said without enough fertilizer in all the nooks and crannies of the state, the aim of giving the seeds may not be adequately achieved.