From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Bureau for Agricultural Development and Mechanization in Benue State has received over 180 truckloads of assorted fertiliser procured by the state government for distribution to farmers at a subsidised rate.
The Director General (DG), Engineer Terese Ninga, disclosed this on Wednesday in Makurdi while briefing journalists on the agency’s activities since assuming office.
Ninga acknowledged that farming is capital-intensive and emphasised that Benue farmers need all the support they can get from the government.
He explained that all 23 local government areas in the state have received at least two truckloads of fertiliser, with the quantity varying based on demand and application timing. The remaining truckloads are being sold at the bureau’s headquarters in Makurdi.
He highlighted that this was the first time since 1982 that the government had provided fertiliser and farm inputs to farmers at subsidised rates in May. A bag of fertiliser is currently sold for N17,500, including handling charges.
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Ninga further disclosed that the state government is supporting farmers to ensure food affordability for all residents. He described these measures as deliberate efforts by Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration to boost food production and enhance food security within the state and beyond.
The DG also stated that the bureau, a merger of the Benue State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (BNARDA) and the Benue State Tractor Hiring Authority (BENTA), would have approximately 104 agricultural extension workers by the end of the cropping season.
“When I arrived, we had only five extension staff, and now, due to retirement, we have three. For over 25 years, the state government did not employ a single extension worker,” he explained.
“Fifty extension workers are joining us, and those currently employed on a casual basis will be regularised. We anticipate having around 104 extension workers by the end of this cropping season.”
Ninga added that the Benue State government, through the bureau, has begun registering all farmers across the state to determine their exact number and gather data on their location and the types of crops they cultivate to provide tailored support services.
He assured that only genuine farmers would access the fertiliser and farm inputs distributed by the state government.
Ninga appealed for patience from those who have paid for farm inputs but are yet to receive them, assuring them that they would soon receive their supplies.