By Salawu Nneka Patience
The Federal Government has commenced the distribution of agricultural inputs to more than 10,000 farmers in Kogi State as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance agricultural productivity and strengthen national food security.
The distribution exercise was flagged off on Wednesday at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) office in Lokoja by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari. The minister said the initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s interventions aimed at strengthening food production and enhancing national food security.
Senator Kyari explained that the inputs being distributed include power tillers, herbicides, liquid fertilisers, knapsack sprayers, water pumps, and other farm equipment, with an estimated value running into several billions of naira.
In a welcome address, the Kogi State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mrs Subair A. S., expressed appreciation to the Honourable Minister and the Federal Government for selecting Kogi State as one of the beneficiaries of the intervention. She said the programme reflected the ministry’s commitment to supporting farmers at the grassroots and strengthening agricultural productivity in the state.
Mrs Subair noted that the distribution exercise was carefully coordinated to ensure transparency, equity, and accountability, and assured stakeholders that only genuine farmers across recognised cooperative societies would benefit. She encouraged beneficiaries to make effective use of the inputs to enhance yields, improve livelihoods, and contribute to food sufficiency in the state.
Senator Kyari further stated that farmers in Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Imo, Kwara, Rivers, and Yobe states would also benefit from the programme through recognised commodity associations, cooperative societies, farmers with special needs, and internally displaced persons.
The Minister was represented by the Deputy Director, Monitoring and Evaluation at FMAFS, Alhaji Abdulmalik Abdul-Ganiyu, who noted that the intervention was designed to ensure the timely, transparent, and accountable distribution of affordable agricultural inputs to farmers.
He added that the ministry had adopted short-term implementation strategies and support mechanisms to address the challenges faced by small-scale farmers, particularly the high cost of essential farm inputs, with the objective of improving access to agro-inputs and basic farm machinery.
The intervention, he noted, is expected to contribute to increased agricultural productivity, support national food security objectives, advance the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the goal of zero hunger and help mitigate prevailing food challenges in the country.
Beneficiaries were advised to utilise the inputs strictly for agricultural purposes in order to achieve improved yields and increased food supply.
In his remarks, the Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Timothy Ojomah, described the distribution as an inclusive intervention that cuts across all registered agricultural cooperative societies in the state.
He stated that the programme was targeted at supporting dry-season farming and assured farmers of the government’s continued commitment to improving food production outcomes. He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising agricultural development in the country.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Dr George Ogirima, said the intervention would strengthen agricultural activities at the grassroots level across the state.
Dr Ogirima explained that ADP extension officers would monitor the utilisation of the inputs and provide technical guidance to farmers to ensure effective application, adherence to best agronomic practices, and optimal results.
The Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kogi State Chapter, Mr Saliu Adobanyi, expressed appreciation to the Federal and State Governments for the continued support to farmers and encouraged beneficiaries to deploy the inputs promptly to their farms.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, the Chairperson of the Nigeria Women in Agriculture Cooperative Federation Limited, Mrs Esther Audu, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, for the intervention, describing it as timely and supportive of farmers’ efforts to increase agricultural production.
