Written By Ali Muhammad Rabiu; Edited By Godwin Duru
At least fifty Farmers across the sixteen local government areas of Kwara state have received free fertiliser distributed by the state government to boost food production in the state.
Speaking with Newsmen at the inauguration of the distribution of the free fertiliser to farmers drawn from different associations and communities across the state, held at Oke-Oyi Ilorin East local government area ,the team lead and state coordinator Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Mohammed Salihu said initiative will reduced the financial burden on smallholder farmers.
He described the intervention as a major investment in agriculture, commending Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, President Bola Tinubu and the Commissioner overseeing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for supporting genuine farmers.
Mohammed explained that the association received 100 bags of fertiliser, which were shared among 50 smallholder farmers, with each beneficiary receiving two bags to cultivate about one and a half acres of farmland.
“We sincerely appreciate Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for this gesture. The fertiliser was given free of charge, and no farmer paid to receive it. Our duty was to ensure it got to genuine farmers,” he said.
The coordinator noted that about 4,000 verified farmers are expected to benefit from the programme, with nearly 8,000 bags of fertiliser to be distributed across the state.
Mohammed urged the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity by applying the fertiliser on their farms instead of selling or diverting it.
“My message to beneficiaries is that they should use the fertiliser on their farms. They should not sell it or give it away because government expects positive results that will encourage more interventions in the future,” he added.
In his address the, Chairman of the Amana Farmers and Grain Suppliers Association of Nigeria, Kwara State Chapter, Mukaila Salaudeen, described the fertiliser distribution as timely, noting that it coincided with the critical period for fertiliser application.
“We thank the government for making this fertiliser available at the right time because this is the time farmers need it most. We appreciate the governor, the commissioner and everyone involved in making this possible,” he said.
Salaudeen cautioned beneficiaries against selling the fertiliser, stressing that proper utilisation would translate into improved harvests and greater food production.
He appealed to the state government to expedite the distribution of improved seeds, saying the planting season was already underway.
“Our appeal is for the government to release the expected seeds programme as quickly as possible because this is the only planting period. Farmers need the seeds before the month ends,” he said.
Salaudeen urged government to make irrigation facilities to enable farmers cultivate all year round.
“We want to practise two farming seasons in Kwara State. If irrigation equipment is provided, farmers will continue production after the rainy season and record bumper harvests during the dry season as well,”
In his remarks the Coordinator of the Oke-Oyi Youth Farm Settlement, In Oke-Oyi, Ilorin East Local Government Area, Saka Ibrahim, commended the state government’s agricultural intervention, noting that insecurity is now a major obstacle to increased food production.
“We are grateful to the government for supporting farmers. These interventions reduce production costs, but the issue of security must be addressed because bandits are preventing many farmers from accessing their farms,” he said.
Ibrahim, maintained that restoring security in farming communities would encourage farmers to cultivate larger portions of land, leading to increased food supply and lower market prices.
“If farmers can return safely to their farms, there will be more production, more food in the markets and food prices will come down,” he said.
He also appealed for additional fertiliser and other agricultural support, noting that many smallholder farmers could no longer afford farm inputs at prevailing market prices.
“We need more of these interventions because many farmers cannot afford fertiliser at current prices. More support will improve productivity and encourage more people to remain in farming,” Ibrahim .
A woman farmer in Oke Oyi and beneficiary of the free fertiliser, Mrs. Ramat Ahmed , thanked the Kwara State government for the intervention.
She assured that women farmers’ would make proper use of the fertiliser inorder to improve agricultural production in the state.
