As part of efforts of the federal government to improve food production and assist farmers across the country with improved seeds to maximize crop yield, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has distributed agricultural inputs to over 900 accredited farmers in Ebonyi and Osun States.
The 900 beneficiaries of the empowerment programme received a bag containing high grade fertilizer, herbicides and improved rice and maize seeds for Ebonyi and rice and beans seeds for Osun state that can effectively cover half an hectare of farm land.
The inputs were distributed being mindful of each state’s area of agricultural specialisation.
In Ebonyi State, beneficiaries from the benefiting local governments of the state consisting mostly women and youths, gathered at Ishiagu Community in Ivo Local Government area of the state to receive the empowerment packages from NALDA officials.
About 400 farmers consisting of 200 maize and 200 rice farmers were drawn from 10 communities in Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency for the exercise.
In Osun state, 500 farmers drawn from all the local government of the state, were empowered with Maize and beans seeds in Oshogbo the state capital.
Just like Ebonyi state, farmers were captured on their farms and the size of their farms taken for proper documentation on the website created and for accurate distribution of the inputs for maximum result.
Speaking to the farmers in both states, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne who was represented by the head of Soil Science Department, Lucius Ndimele said NALDA was determined to ensure that Nigerians produce enough food for Nigerians.
He said NALDA would continue to distribute these inputs till it gets to farmers in every state of the country.
According to him, “The distribution exercise targets genuine farmers in the grassroots.
“The government is making sure that you can produce what you’ll eat by providing you inputs and the essence of what we’re doing here today is to ensure Nigerians understand the importance of farming.”
The NALDA empowerment programme is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to NALDA to reach out to farmers across the country to ensure they produce food while helping the country achieve food sufficiency.
Recall that President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency on food, hence the move by NALDA to compliment the President’s food security efforts through empowerment programmes to cushion the effect of high cost of living.
It is expected that in the next three to four months, the outputs from the programme, would help in the significant drop in the cost of food items in the market.