Rice farmers in Ogun state has called on the federal government to expand the numbers of benefitiaries for the free inputs support for rice farmers in the state.
The farmers while speaking with Radio Nigeria after the distribution of the support at the Kotopo, Abeokuta office of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the one hundred and fifty beneficiaries would judiciously utilise the inputs.
Radio Nigeria Correspondent reports that the rice farmers trooped out in large numbers to be part of the distribution.
Inputs distributed to the rice farmers expected to be used in cultivation of one hectare of land include one bag of fifty kilogramme certified rice seed, four bags of NPK fertiliser, two bags of Urea fertiliser, and one litre of growth enhancer.
Other input received by the one hundred and fifty rice farmers across Ogun state include four litres of pesticides and five litres of pre and post emergence herbicide.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural development represented by an assistant director at the ministry, Mallam Bashir Usman hinted that the rice farmers are expected to enhance food security of the nation with their produce and also to increase their income.
The minister cautioned the farmers against diversion or outright sale of the supplied input as neccessary mechanism had been put in place to monitor and deal with defaulters.
Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, represented by the Programme Manager, Ogun State Agriculture Development Programme , Mrs. Taiwo Ayansanwo said the state government was concentrating efforts on small medium hold farmers noting that the state government was pleased with the efforts of the federal government to empower more farmers.
Some of the farmers while speaking with Radio Nigeria commended the federal government for the support and called for expansion of the number of beneficiaries.
Earlier, the Ogun State coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Ganiyu Oseni had assured the farmers of prompt monitoring of the support input which he said was facilitated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA.
Wale Oluokun
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