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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
A philanthropist, Dr. Chetachi Dikko, has joined the fight against food insecurity in Nigeria by distributing seedlings to communities in Kaduna State and some other states in Nigeria to enable them kickstart the 2022 farming activities.
The seedlings were handed over to traditional rulers and community leaders from the benefiting communities for onward distribution to the farmers for use this farming season.
Dr. Dikko, at a ceremony to handover the seedlings to the farmers in Abuja, said the gesture was part of her annual routine to support farmers and contribute to food production, thereby, fighting hunger.
She said: “I took it upon myself to do this not because I have excess but because I am committed to humanity. One man cannot solve the issue of food insecurity in Nigeria, hence my decision to contribute my quota to the issue of food production and that’s the reason for the intervention. We have started the distribution of the seedlings in our own little way, but in no distant time, we would expand the distribution of the seedlings beyond where we have started.”
She challenged other individuals, philanthropists and corporate organisations to emulate her footsteps so that, collectively, the hunger will be eliminated in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 that focuses on zero hunger for the world.
She said, “many people are afraid of the rising insecurity and attacks on farmlands and farmers across the country. That’s justifiable but shouldn’t deter us from farming. Running away from the farms means increased hunger and poverty for our people.”
She confirmed that the traditional and community leaders have been used to identify people in the communities who would benefit from the seedlings, perhaps, because of their level of commitment to agriculture.
She explained: “Our targets are those that are in need. The people we have been confirmed to be in need and not political farmers who are after what they can get. We are using the traditional and community leaders to carry out this task because of their reliability and respect in the communities. The Royal Fathers have identified the people that would benefit from this gesture and it’s going to them straight.”
Eze Uchenna Ajarogu of Ogwume Kingdom in Imo State, in his remarks, commended the philanthropist for the kind assistance, and assured her that the seedlings would be channeled to the farmers in the rural communities within his kingdom who would put them into right use.
He said his community is good at cassava, yam, maize and few other farm produce. “We don’t farm rice because of the kind of soil we have. So, we will apply for the seedlings and make good use of them.”
Similarly, Elisha Buba Yero from Nok cultural community, Kaduna State, said the intervention means a lot to him and his people, saying, “since Dr. Chetachi returned to Nigeria, she has been extremely helpful to our people. She has repeatedly provided lots of relief items and other stuff to our people. This time, she has chosen to fight hunger by donating seedlings to our people ahead of this year’s farming season. In my Chiefdom, we have decided to choose two items that we would fight hunger with, rice and maize.”
Meanwhile, the husband of the philanthropist, Samson Dikko, appreciated her kind gesture and commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of the people particularly people at the bottom of the ladder.
He asked the beneficiaries to make good use of the seedlings and multiply their farm produce, thereby, making financial fortunes for themselves and contributing to the fight against food insecurity.
