The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has distributed agricultural inputs to farmers in Kwara State to boost food production and address the country’s food crisis.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abba Kyari, said the intervention was aimed at supporting farmers and increasing food production nationwide.
Kyari, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Abdulmalik Abdulganiy, said the present administration was committed to achieving the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the goal of zero hunger.
“We are determined to achieve the SDGs, especially the goal of zero hunger, while also addressing the food crisis in the country,” he said.
The minister said the distributed inputs included power tillers, herbicides, liquid fertilizers, knapsack sprayers and water pumps, which were provided to farmers through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
He added that the inputs were distributed at no cost to beneficiaries and urged farmers to make judicious use of them to increase food production.
Kyari said the federal and state governments continued to engage relevant stakeholders to address challenges affecting national food security.
He said the government remained committed to collaborating with non-governmental organizations and the private sector to enhance food security, promote economic growth, create jobs and reduce poverty.
“Our focus is on facilitating access to agro-inputs and basic farm machinery for small-scale farmers who are constrained by the high cost of these essential inputs,” he said.
Mrs Faith Agu, the State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, expressed optimism that the intervention would yield positive results and have a lasting impact on beneficiary communities.
Also speaking, the Kwara Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Afees Abolore, said the intervention came at an appropriate time as the state was preparing to replicate the programme for dry-season farming to ensure food sufficiency.
Abolore said the collaboration between the state and federal governments remained strong, adding that Kwara was ready to continue working with the federal ministry to provide necessary support to farmers.
One of the beneficiaries, Hajia Aisha Oyebanji, who represented the Nigeria Association of Women in Agriculture (NAWIA), described the intervention as a beacon of hope for women farmers.
She said such support had continued to strengthen the rural economy and improve the living standards of farmers.
Another beneficiary, Mr Mukaila Salaudeen, representing the Amanah Farmers and Grains Sellers Association of Nigeria, Kwara Chapter, urged the ministry to ensure that genuine farmers benefited from government interventions.
Salaudeen also called on the government to ensure that the inputs reached farmers in all parts of the state.
