Nasarawa Distributes 42,000 Fertilizer Bags

The Nasarawa State Government has acquired 42, 000 bags of various fertilizer for distribution at a flat rate to farmers in the state.

Mr Lawee Yusuf, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Water Resources, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lafia.

Mr. Yusuf said government had earlier proposed to get about 93 trucks of fertilizer and improved seeds for the 2016 farming season.

He said the government, however, had to reduce the fertilizer to 70 trucks (42,000 bags) due to the current economic situation.

According to the commissioner, “the government has put appropriate measures in place with critical stakeholders to ensure equitable distribution of the inputs to genuine farmers across the nooks and crannies of the state.”

Meanwhile, the State Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Muazu Ishaq, has called on the government to provide fertiliser and other inputs to farmers early enough for increase yield.

Ishaq said that the timing for the provision of fertiliser was late as most farmers usually commence preparation for the planting season with the onset of the first rain around March.

He appealed to the government to carry AFAN along in the distribution of the farm inputs considering its reach in order to avoid diversion of the items.

“It is high time government paid genuine attention to agriculture by assisting small scale farmers toward mechanisation and adoption of modern farming techniques.

“This is critical for the nation’s survival given the fall in oil price at the international market,’’ Ishaq said.

(NAN)