The Smallholder Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON), Oyo State Chapter, has received farm inputs and equipment from the Federal Government to boost agricultural production and food security.
The state Coordinator of SWOFON, Mrs. Atinuke Akinbade, confirmed the receipt of the items in an interview with reporters in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Akinbade said the items were distributed through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) to the association’s members across all 33 Local Government Areas in the state.
According to her, the items include five sprayers, 20 packs of organic fertilizers, one bush cutter, one grass cutter, two cartons of cocoa fungicide, and 12 cartons of organic insecticides.
Others include 13 cartons of ZAP insecticides, five small kegs of NIHORT Lyptol, five small kegs of NIHORT Raktin, one carton of Glyral herbicide, and three sacks of FMAFS fertilizer.
Seed supplies provided include two kilograms of Halal seeds, four cups of tomato seeds, 44 sachets of pepper seeds, 13 sachets of okra seeds, a bag of rice seeds, and a bag of assorted sacks.
The state coordinator said the initiative aimed to boost farmers’ productivity and ensure food security, particularly among women farmers.
“We appreciate the Federal Government for this significant intervention for SWOFON. We have received gender-friendly farming implements that we have desired for a long time,” Akinbade said.
She also commended the Oyo State Government for facilitating the release of the items to the association.
“If the Federal Government had provided the items but they were not released at the state level, we would not have benefited. We are grateful that the support reached us,” she said.
Akinbade added that the inputs and implements had already been distributed to members across all local government areas. She noted that the timely intervention would help ease farmers’ financial burden and support both current and future planting seasons.
“The items given to us are valuable and durable. They are not perishable, so they will serve us now and in future crop cultivation,” she said.
She said SWOFON has over 1,000 members in Oyo State, noting that farmers in each local government area would benefit from the distribution.
She added that farmers cultivating swampy farmlands could commence rice production immediately using the seedlings provided.
