Battling food crisis
From Magnus Eze, Abakaliki
Federal legislators from Ebonyi State have undoubtedly supported farmers in their constituencies this planting season. The Deputy Senate Chief Whip and senator for Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Onyekachi Nwebonyi and the House of Representatives member for Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Chinedu Ogah, stand out in this regard.
But unlike Nwebonyi’s colleagues, the senator’s items got to the farmers in good time. The result has been heartwarming as the torrents of testimonies from some of the beneficiaries point to bountiful harvests.
The senator precisely on March 9, at Mbeke Ishieke Primary School Field in Ebonyi Local Government Area, distributed 45,000 bags of fertilisers and rice seedlings to farmers in the four council areas of Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Izzi and Ohaukwu, that make up the senatorial district.
Reports of bumper yields from several beneficiaries of Nwebonyi’s largesse prompted him to tour some of their rice farms over the weekend.
Mrs Victoria Iboko from Igbeagu Community, Izzi LGA could not hide her joy as she proudly took the team round her expansive rice farm covering over 10 hectares of land.
She extolled the senator for distributing the farm inputs early enough even before the 2024 planting season. She appealed to the federal and state governments to always distribute farm inputs and seedlings in good time so as to guarantee bumper harvest for farmers.
At Mbeke Ishieke, Ebonyi LGA where another massive rice farm was inspected, the owner, Mr Sebastian Obiya, could not control his elation over the yields. Noting that he never had it this good in recent years, he commended their benefactor for availing them with high yielding rice seedlings and modern farm inputs on time.
Obiya looked forward to selling the rice when harvested to pay the school fees of his children and take care of other responsibilities.
The farmer, however, urged other political leaders in the state to emulate Nwebonyi by providing timely support to farmers, noting that this was a mark of effective representation: “The problem we have had over the years is that government’s support usually come late. The fertiliser would get to us sometimes in August when we are already preparing for harvest. So, we want the government to avail farmers the inputs on time to enable us plan well.
“We also need help in land preparation. But with what our governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and Senator Nwebonyi are doing, we’re sure that the story is already changing.”
Other farmers interviewed including Ifeoma Elom and Chukwuma Ogbonna, expressed boundless delights as they conducted the team round their separate rice farms.
Each of the farmers was upbeat that their bountiful harvest this year would help the state in achieving food sufficiency, adding that it will also enable them take care of their respective family needs.
Thrilled by what he saw, Nwebonyi lauded the farmers for their industry, diligence and positive feedback.
The senator thanked President Bola Tinubu for giving them the opportunity to access the farm inputs for their constituents even as he praised Governor Nwifuru for his leadership prowess and people-oriented policies and programmes.
He also emphasised the importance of the federal and state governments enforcing early distribution of farm inputs to farmers, saying that it would enable them plan well and as well get bumper harvest: “Being a farmer myself, I know how important it’s to get farm inputs on time. It helps the farmer to plan ahead. How can you give fertilizers to farmers by September when they are already harvesting their farm produce? I therefore urge President Tinubu to probe the late distribution of fertilizers to farmers by August this year. I’m delighted with the positive results of my early distribution of farm inputs and rice seedlings to farmers in my constituency by March 9, 2024. This is a sure way to achieve food security.”
No fewer than 25,000 households benefitted from the over 45,000 bags of rice seedlings, cartons of modern farm inputs-organic fertilizers and food palliatives distributed by the senator.
The senator explained that he was prompted to distribute the items in a bid to ease the economic hardships of his people following the removal of fuel subsidy and also ensure food security in the area.
Similarly, cheering news also emanated from the agrarian communities of Ikwo and Ezza South LGAs where Ogah distributed 31,200 bags of fertilizers to farmers.
The legislator had before then distributed rice seedlings as part of support to the rural farmers.
He was clear that the gesture was to reduce hunger and ensure food sufficiency in the constituency: “I am a village man, a farmer that knows the problem of my people. We had shared 30,000 bags of fertilizer before now.
“But with the magnanimity of the Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, his leadership approved a truck load of fertilizer to each of the 360 members of House of Representatives.
“I have 31 wards in my constituency and there are over 270,000 electorate in the constituency and I decided to get more fertilizer for them and that’s why we have 1, 200 bags and that’s what we distributed to them as second tranche.”
