Synergos empowers five farmers’ organisations in Gombe with inputs
Synergos Nigeria, an International Non-Governmental Organisation has empowered five farmers’ organisations from five local government areas of Gombe State with improved seedlings and organic fertilisers.
Speaking to Our Correspondent during the exercise in Gombe on Tuesday, Dr Molta Danladi Idris, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry said the training and inputs distribution was a welcome development.
Idris said giving farmers training and improved seedlings, organic fertilisers and herbicides free of charge would assist them to contribute to food security.
He said the idea of the training and free inputs distribution was to help farmers see the difference between using organic and chemical fertilisers.
According to him, with the high cost of chemical fertilisers, it is imperative for farmers to embrace organic fertilisers which are cheaper and better.
“Using organic fertilisers remains the best way of improving the soil, protecting micro-organisms and having healthier foods for the nation and state.
“I commend Synergos for this initiative and I call on farmers to turn to organic farming; this is the way to go.”
Mr Dauda Dasplang, the facilitator of the training said the major aim of training the farmers’ organisations from Akko, Billiri, Dukku, Funakaye and Kwami LGAs was to assist them cut down costs of production while boosting yields.
Dasplang said the Nigerian soil had been suffering nutrient depletion because of the excessive and increasing use of chemical fertilisers in the production of crops.
“With the high cost of agricultural produce, farmers may not make enough profit; so the training is to give them the right information on how to use the organic inputs to boost productivity and improve soil health.”
Also speaking, Malam Auwal Usman-Ardo, the vice chairman, All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Gombe State chapter lauded Synergos for the initiative to encourage farmers embrace organic use of fertilisers which he said was more profitable to his members.
Usman-Ardo appealed to farmers in the state to embrace use of organic fertilisers, adding that organic foods were more highly-sought, expensive and healthier.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that Synergos under its Rural Resilience Activity (RRA), sponsored the training and distribution of the inputs to the farmers to test-run the improved seedlings and organic fertilisers in five LGAs of Gombe State.
