Zamfara state governor, Dauda Lawal, Thursday, flagged off the distribution of 60,000 assorted tons of fertiliser to farmers free of charge across the state for the 2025 wet season.
The occasion was held at the state Ministry of Agriculture in Gusau.
In his address, Governor Lawal stated that other farming inputs distributed to farmers by his administration included essential seeds and other agrochemicals.
He said the gesture was part of his administration’s effort to improve food security, human development and economic growth of the state.
The governor added that his administration will continue to address the lingering insecurity affecting the state with a view to improve food security.
He said the fertilizer will be distributed to all the 14 local government areas for distribution to farmers through the sustainable agricultural rural development initiative by his administration.
He further stated that his administration has introduced an agricultural transformation plan aimed at poverty eradication among vulnerable people and developing the state socially and economically.
He cautioned that anyone found diverting the fertilizer will be sanctioned, irrespective of his position in the state.
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Nigeria ranks 2nd on global malnutrition index – Tinubu’s aide
By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja
Senior special assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Public Health, Uju Anwukah, Thursday, said Nigeria currently ranks second on the global scale of malnutrition, and the first in Africa.
This was as the chairman House of Representatives Committee on Food and Nutrition, Hon. Chike Okafor, said malnutrition in Nigeria is costing the country about 1.5 billion dollars annually.
Anwukah, while speaking at the ongoing National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security, organised by the House committee said, “Nigeria signed up on the N-774 initiative as a way of addressing malnutrition right from the grassroots. He added that the initiative has been endorsed by the National Council on Food Security and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Chairman of the committee, Okafor said the summit was organised to proffer solutions to the growing concerns about the effect of malnutrition and lack of adequate food in Nigeria, adding that the cost of inaction on these parameters on Nigeria’s economy is aggregated to about 12.2% of the country’s Gross National Income.
“Food insecurity has been aggravated by post-harvest loss, estimated at $2 billion by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) yearly,” he stated.