Zamfara State Government says it procured thirty thousand metric tones of fertilizers for sales to farmers at a subsidized rate for 2022 wet season farming.
Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle announced this while flagging off the distribution exercise at the premises of Zamfara Comprehensive Agricultural Revolution Program, ZACAREP, in Gusau the state capital.
Governor Matawalle said three thousand metric tonnes of fertilizer were procured for this year’s wets season farming and each bag will be sold at the the cost of fifteen thousand naira only based on cash and carry basis.
He explained that, as farming remain the mainstream of the state economy and with eighty percent population as farmers, over two thousand farmers’ associations will benefit from the fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and other farming implements.
According to him, the government will soon introduce new agricultural program for civil servants to receive farming implements on loan and pay in instalment from their salaries to enable them to have enough food for their families.
The Governor also expressed dismay over non payment of loans acquired by farmers last year and called on the beneficiaries of this year to judiciously utilize all the farming inputs received from the government and other organizations to enable them to benefit from the gesture.
In a welcome address, Special Advisor to the Governor on Zamfara Comprehensive Agricultural Revolution Program, ZACAREP, Alhaji Yusuf Jafaru Rawayya said the program is aimed at ensuring food security for the state and to enable farmers to have bumper havest.
He maintained that this year sales of fertiliser came with a difference as farmers would access the commodity NPK 20-10-10 on cash and carry basis to avoid any act of diverting the commodity.
END /SANI HARUNA DUTSINMA
