Federal Government says it is committed to boosting food production with limited resources and the challenges of the post-Covid-19 era and natural disasters.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar stated this at a workshop on inputs distribution to rice farmers across the southwest zone, held at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture And Rural Development, Moor Plantation, Ibadan.

Represented by the Deputy Director of Rice  Value Chain, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mallam Bashir Usman, Dr Abubakar explained that the intervention was to boost rice production in all parts of the country as rice is a staple food that is virtually consumed in all homes across the country, “we, therefore, cannot afford to rely on importation of this important food item and be exporting labour outside the country while our  nation can grow and produce it sufficiently.”

While urging the participants to make good use of the inputs provided and knowledge gained in promoting rice production, Dr Abubakar said the government has identified real rice farmers in collaboration with stakeholders in the value chain for continued support to farmers in line with its mandate, “in continuation of this, Government decided to identify real rice farmers, that is smallholder farmers in conjunction with state agricultural development project, State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rice Farmers Association and all relevant stakeholders in the value chain for continued support to farmers.

Also speaking, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture And Rural Development, Mrs Florence Kakulu explained that it was necessary to sensitize farmers along the rice value chain through the workshop to spread the basic concepts of Agriculture best practices in rice production.

Similarly, a lecturer from the department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan Professor Kabir Salman wanted Farmers to optimize their inputs and also acquire good agricultural management practices to achieve more yields following the increased rice in the country, “the issue of Agricultural practices in Southwest is very important as well as effective use of Agro chemicals rice is very expensive, the Inputs they use are also of the increase, even if they buy Inputs they would still make profits because the demand of rice is high it is an opportunity to have good Agricultural practices. We are here to facilitate the farmers to improve their yield that is what they need now”.

Professor Salman urged Federal Government to ensure it gets effective feedback from farmers in Nigeria. 

In a goodwill message, Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Adeniyi Adebisi represented by Director of Agriculture Extension Service, Mr Maruf Razak commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for their continuous support to the state in boosting food production.

Vice President, South West Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Victor Korede and Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association in Ekiti State, Mr Kolawole Rotimi appreciated the Federal government for the support and expressed optimism that support given to them would increase Rice production in Nigeria, “we are happy encouraging farmers in the country and would boost farmers. We are responsible to feed the nation, the numbers of rice farmers have increased tremendously from the section of the anchor borrower programme”

Rice farmers from Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ondo States attended the workshop.

Fasilat Lawal

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One hundred and nine rice farmers affected by the COVID -19 pandemic in Ogun state have been empowered with free inputs by the Federal Government Value Chain Development Programme.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Muhammed Abubakar while flagging-off the exercise tagged the IFAD COVID-19 pandemic Rural Poor Stimulus Facility at Odeda Local government said the empowerment was to boost rice production across the nation.

Dr. Abubakar, who was represented by Mr Aminu Saidu of the Project Coordinating Unit in the Ministry, said the inputs were to support the poorest of the poor farmers that lost their produce during the pandemic due to the lockdown.

He explained that the intervention was aimed at enhancing food security and boost farmers production noting that Ogun State rice farmers were privileged to be among the nine states benefitting from the programme.

Dr. Abubakar stressed that the initiative would boost the ongoing effort of the ministry in its various interventions aimed at alleviating the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Agriculture and Rural development minister while appealing to the farmers to utilise the inputs judiciously to boost food production and encourage government to continue to support them handed over 46 kilogrammes of certified rice seeds, two liters of herbicides, two bags of NPK and one bag of Urea fertilisers to each of the 109 farmers.

The Ogun state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, represented by the state Programme Coordinator of Value Chain Development Programme, Mr Samuel Adeogun commended the Federal Government for the programme, aimed at ensuring food security and improving farmers’ livelihoods.

He noted that the implementation of the programme was in line with the agricultural revolution initiatives of the state government.

The commissioner explained that beneficiaries were selected from three local governments of the state after screening and validation by a team from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, through the National Programme Management Unit.

Dr. Odedina called on the farmers to take advantage of the initiative and ensure good agricultural practices in order to tackle the challenges of food security.

Also speaking, National Programme Coordinator of Value Chains Development Program, Dr Fatima Aliyu, represented by Mr Seriki Musa reaffirmed that the programme was to cushion the effect of the pandemic on farmers.

She listed other states in the program to include, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Anambra, Benue, Niger, Tarawa and Ebonyi involving two thousand, seven hundred and ninety three vulnerable farmers.

Two of the beneficiaries, Mr Moshood Mejigbode and Mr Obilana Olushola, who spoke for others, thanked the federal and the state governments for their support assuring the federal government that they would make the best use of the inputs to boost their production and enhance food security.

Farmers from Odogbolu, Yewa South and Odeda local government areas of Ogun state benefitted from the program.

Wale Oluokun