KDSG only provides 10% of fertilizer required by farmers – KADP boss

Kasim said the state government can only provide 100,000 tonnes, representing 10%, which would cost the government about N4 billion annually.“At the beginning of the project, 100, 000 farmers were targeted by the Kaduna State Government all of whom have benefited from the fertiliser distribution through e-wallet system in the Kaduna Agricultural Development Project (KADP). […]

Kasim said the state government can only provide 100,000 tonnes, representing 10%, which would cost the government about N4 billion annually.
“At the beginning of the project, 100, 000 farmers were targeted by the Kaduna State Government all of whom have benefited from the fertiliser distribution through e-wallet system in the Kaduna Agricultural Development Project (KADP). Gradually, the number increased from 100,000 to 400,000,” he said.
He said the state targeted at least 600,000 farmers for this year’s wet season across the 69 centres in the state, adding that last year the state registered about 400, 000 farmers.
“This year we are optimistic of registering about 600,000 which will benefit from the e-wallet fertiliser system. The farmer goes with the price of one bag of fertiliser but he collects two, instead, and that represents the 50% subsidy.”
The sate has also launched the GES fertiliser distribution at Kajuru and initiated a programme for fertiliser to reach medium and large scale farmers as well as cooperative societies.
“The state government has also requested the local governments to procure fertiliser directly and distribute to farmers under the supervision of the LG which is also in the pipeline and as soon as the state government launches its own, the LG’s will launch theirs.  Committees are also being formed to ensure that the fertiliser reaches the grassroots,” he explained.
For the livestock farmers, government has also subsidized prices of feeds; for example, the feeds that cost N20,000 will be given to farmers at N10,000.  A day old chick being sold to poultry farmers at N200 will be given to them at N100.
“These are the kinds of intervention under the Growth Enhancement Agricultural Transformation Agenda Programme of the FG in conjunction with the various state governments,” Dr Kasim said.