In line with ongoing efforts to ensure availability of staple food for Nigerians, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has distributed agricultural inputs to 1000 farmers in Nasarawa, and Lagos states.
The gesture is aimed at assisting them to maximize crop cultivation for improved yields and increased food production.
Accredited beneficiaries of the empowerment programme received a NALDA branded bag containing maize seeds for Lagos, beans, seeds for Nasarawa, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizer.
The inputs were distributed with each State’s area of agricultural specialisation, while biometrics of the beneficiaries were also captured on their farms to ensure a comprehensive data base of farmers and also ensure that only genuine farmers benefit.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Secretary of NALDA Prince Paul Ikone, represented by the agency’s Information Communications Technology, (ICT) Director, Mr. Chima Onuha said the partnership with Senator Abiru is in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on agriculture development and food security.
He said each pack, if properly planted and maintained, can yield up to 6 tons of produce for each farmer.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Owolabi Odulaja, who appreciated NALDA for the gesture, said it would go a long way in tackling poverty.
“This initiative will help the people to tackle poverty. We thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, NALDA for this great support at this challenging economic period”.
For Nasarawa State, 500 farmers drawn from all over the state benefited from the distribution exercise, which took place at the Emir’s Palace in Lafia, the state capital.
Speaking during the distribution exercise, the Emir of Lafia and the chairman of Nasarawa Council of Chiefs, Justice Sidi Muhammed (Rtd) lauded the federal government for the initiative.
He said the gesture would go a long way in boosting the economy of the state while urging the beneficiaries to utilise the opportunity.
“If the federal government is saying that we are giving you these free without you dipping hands in your pockets to do it, then people must take advantage of it”
The Emir further assured the government of the State’s support in its policies.
President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency on food, hence the move by NALDA to compliment the President’s food security efforts through an empowerment programme to cushion the effect of high cost of living.
It is expected that in the next 3 to 4 months, the outputs from this programme would lead to a significant drop in the cost of food items in the market.
The empowerment of farmers by NALDA is a continuous exercise to encourage more Nigerians to go into farming to ensure self-sufficiency in food production, thus boosting food security for the teeming population.
