FG cushions farm losses with inputs for 200 Gombe farmers
By Chima Azubuike
The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has distributed quick win farm inputs to 200 farmers in Gombe to cushion the effects of flood.
Speaking during the handing over of the input organised by Federal Department of Agriculture Horticulture division under Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Deputy Director Lord Banjou, who was represented by Chief Works Superintendent Temile Happy, said this effort was geared towards ameliorating the hardship of farmers.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the items distributed include; 40 tomatoes starter packs, 40 onions starter packs, 20 pollination service equipment, 50 Hibiscus starter packs, and 50 artemisia starter packs.
According to him, the 2022 flood has been adjudged as the worst in the history of the nation and accounted for soaring food prices in the markets and food shortages as well as causing malnutrition.
Our Correspondent reports that no fewer than 332,327 farmlands with crops based on reports were destroyed nationwide to flood.
Banjou said under the implementation strategy of this activity, the Ministry in collaboration with Commodity Association as well as FMARD State Offices generated the list of beneficiaries.
“In recognition and response to the plight of farmers, the Ministry procured some critical Inputs for distribution to farmers as quick intervention strategy to ameliorate the plight of farmers in the flood affected states. This program is being organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to mitigate the impact of flood menace in Nigeria, and improve the income and livelihood of farmers in the country which is in tandem with the vision of NATIP,” Banjou said.
Also speaking, State Director Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Inuwa Mohammed, who was represented by Baba Gabriel, urged the beneficiaries to put the inputs into effective use.
Mohammed said the programme is aimed at mitigating the impact of menace of flood.
He added, “This will supplement the losses incurred through flood and it will bring another form of harvest so that there won’t be shortage of food. They should make sure the input given to them is well utilised.”
On his part, Chairman Hibiscus Farmers Association Gombe State chapter, Usman Adamu, said the last season rainfall caused his members astronomic damage, adding that they lost their farmlands with the crops to flood.
Adamu said, “We are going to use it when the rain starts, you know it dry season now. But it will go a long way in supplementing the losses of last year.”
