The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has commenced the distribution of farm inputs to 2,000 onion farmers in Sokoto State as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce post-harvest losses in Nigeria’s food system.
The Executive Secretary of the NADF, Mr Muhammad Abu-Ibrahim, disclosed this on Sunday during the distribution exercise in Sokoto.
Abu-Ibrahim, who was represented by a director, Mr Mu’azu Ibrahim, described post-harvest losses as one of the major challenges confronting the agricultural sector.
He said the support was aimed at cushioning the impact of losses often suffered by onion farmers due to poor seedlings and other related challenges.
The executive secretary reassured farmers that the Federal Government would continue to take measures to address under-investment in agriculture, urging stakeholders to support government initiatives in order to attract increased investment into the sector.
“What we are trying to achieve is to identify the risk factors that need to be mitigated and create the enabling environment required to drive more investment into agriculture,” he said.
Abu-Ibrahim explained that the NADF was established to provide holistic funding support to the agricultural sector, with a focus on improving farmer productivity and profitability.
He added that although Nigeria is agriculturally endowed across its regions, there is a need to fully harness this potential for sustainable growth.
In his remarks, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Bello Wamakko, commended the Federal Government for the intervention, describing it as a lifeline for smallholder farmers.
Wamakko, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Almustapha Alkali, said the state government would continue to partner with the Federal Government and other agricultural stakeholders to promote value chains that drive economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.
Also speaking, the Project Coordinator of the Sokoto State Agricultural Development Project, Mr Abubakar Danmaliki, said the support was critical to farming activities, particularly among smallholder farmer groups.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Chairman of the Onion Farmers, Producers and Marketers Association, Mr Aliyu Maitasamu, said genuine onion farmers were captured in the programme, adding that the intervention would provide much-needed relief in view of the challenges experienced during the previous farming season.
Items distributed included bags of fertilizer, insecticides, liquid fertilizer and other agricultural inputs.
