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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Federal Government, through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), has begun the distribution of 12,160 bags of fertilizer to members of the Edo State chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) as part of efforts to boost food production and strengthen national food security.
The Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, officially flagged off the distribution exercise in Benin City.
He was represented at the event by the Senior Manager of NADF, Sam Idiale.
Speaking during the flag-off, Ibrahim said the intervention is designed to improve farmers’ productivity by increasing crop yields, thereby contributing to enhanced food security across the country.
He noted that the initiative reflects the Federal Government’s sustained commitment to ensuring food availability, improving the livelihoods of rural farmers, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices nationwide.
The NADF Executive Secretary urged the beneficiaries to use the fertilizer strictly for farming purposes, cautioning them against selling the inputs.
He emphasized that the success of the programme depends on the effective utilization of the fertilizer to increase agricultural output and support the country’s food security agenda.
While assuring that more federal governments are underway for farmers in the state, he posited that selling them may negatively undermine the state’s chances of getting more interventions in the future.
“There are more interventions that will come to Edo state . If you sell this fertilizer,it will negatively affect the future programmes that are supposed to come to the state”, he said.
He said the fertilizers are only for profiled farmers, and not for politics.
Earlier, the Edo State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Joe Usaigbu, commended the Federal Government and the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) for the intervention, describing it as a timely initiative that would significantly improve agricultural productivity and increase farmers’ yields across the state.
Usaigbu also urged beneficiaries to use the fertilizer for its intended purpose, warning against its sale.
He stressed that the intervention is part of the government’s efforts to boost food production and strengthen food security in Edo State.
Also speaking, the Edo State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Patricia Imade, warned beneficiaries against diverting or selling government provided agricultural inputs, particularly the fertilizer distributed under the intervention programme.
She urged the farmers to apply the fertilizer judiciously and in accordance with recommended agronomic practices to maximize crop yields.
Imade emphasized that the proper use of the inputs would not only enhance productivity but also contribute to increased food production and improved food security in the state and across the country.
