COVID-19: FG Distributes Farm Inputs in Oyo

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture has distributed farm inputs to farmers in Oyo State.

This is part of efforts to ensure that Nigeria does not experience food shortages as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event was held at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, MOOR Plantation, Apata, Ibadan.

Distributing the farm inputs, which included seeds of kenaf, yam and cocoa seedlings,

• 

Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Mustapha Shehuri, said provision of the seedlings was part of Federal Government’s interventions to reduce the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on agricultural production in Nigeria and avert food scarcity in 2021 and beyond.

The minister lauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s proactive steps in prioritizing food security in the face of dwindling oil revenue and limited opportunity to import food.

Alhaji Shehuri, while noting that Oyo State was the third state to get the inputs after Kano and Kaduna states, urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the farm inputs.

The minister also called on stakeholders to provide similar support to farmers to defeat the Coronavirus pandemic and become self-sufficient.

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde in a message through the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mrs Olubanwo Adeosun explained that the present administration was reinvigorating the agricultural sector to make it appealing to experienced and potential farmers.

In a remark, National President, Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Adeola Adegoke, State Chairman, Agricultural Development Farmers Association, Alhaji Saliu Imam and Chairman, All State Farmers Association, Oyo State, Engineer John Olateru while appreciating the Federal Government’s gesture, urged the authorities to look deeply into infrastructure development, particularly roads for the overall development of the sector.

Jeffrey Ahonmisi