The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has commenced the distribution of farm inputs targeting about 80,000 Jigawa wheat farmers for the 2024/2025 dry season farming.
The support was announced by the state coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Sale Salisu, when his team paid a field visit to some distribution centres in the state.
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He explained that the programme is part of the federal government’s agenda for food security and reduction of unemployment through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket Inputs Packages for NAGS 2024/2025.
According to him, the ministry allocated 80,000 packages of farm inputs to Jigawa State’s farmers for the 2024/2025 dry season for wheat farming.
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He said, out of the total 80,000 packages allocated to Jigawa 60,000 beneficiaries were registered, while the distribution exercises commenced in 64 centres across the 27 local government areas in the state.
“As of today, more than 60,000 farmers in Jigawa, have received 2024/2025 inputs, including three bags of NPK, two bags of Urea fertilizers and one bag of certified wheat seeds, at subsidized rate of only N159,189.50 after receiving SMS alerts through their mobile phones and screened at the distribution centres”, Mr Salisu said.
The coordinator disclosed that the distribution exercise was hindered by little challenges. He said the ministry has noted the challenges from its own part and would rectify them during the next distribution exercise.
He identified the challenges as late distribution of the Inputs to the farmers, ICT and transportation challenges, as well as low cooperation from the farmers.
While expressing their views on the exercises, majority of the beneficiaries decried the delay in the distribution. According to the farmers, the time of wheat planting is almost over as it’s now the end of December.
Umaru Baban Kamshi of Sabon Gari Takaneru area of Miga local government, is one of the beneficiaries. He said “I have been coming to this centre after receiving SMS alerts for three days but still the place is congested, while the time for planting has gone”.
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