2024 Farming season: Edo govt begins input distribution to farmers.

Edo Government on Friday flagged-off the distribution of inputs to small-holder farmers in Edo Central Senatorial District ahead of the 2024 farming season.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a total number of 471 farmers across the five local government areas (LGAs) in Edo central senatorial district benefited from the input distribution.

The flag-off which took place at Irrua, the administrative headquarters of Esan LGA had farmers from Esan North-East, Esan South-East, Esan West and Igueben LGAs in attendance.

NAN also reports that agricultural inputs and Assets were distributed under EDO FADAMA CARES Result Area two programme.

Inputs distributed included 9,900 bundles of cassava stem cuttings, 2,115kg of maize seeds, 1,506 litres of pre- and post-emergence herbicides, 801 bags of NPK fertilizers, 141 bags of urea, 25 multipurpose grinding machines and two tricycle carts.

Gov. Godwin Obaseki, while flagging off the exercise, said the state agricultural policies have impacted positively on farmers in Edo .

Represented by the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Stephen Idehenre, Obaseki noted that the initiative was aimed at supporting over 12,000 small-holder farmers across the state.

He noted that farmers in the state have been empowered with inputs, essential farm kits, vaccines and poultry feeds to weather the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In this programme, our target is to empower 4,179 farmers with farm inputs and services such as crops seeds, cassava cuttings, fertilizers, agro chemicals, fingerlings, day-old chicks, among others.

“Another 3,441 farmers are to be empowered with irrigation facilities to enhance all-year-round farming and rehabilitation of feeder roads for easy access to the farms.

“The programme is also targeting 4,875 farmers to benefit from cassava and rice milling machines, motorized sprayers, cold rooms multipurpose grinding machines, de-feathering machines and tricycles,” Obaseki said.

The governor added that the programme has built over 10 markets and provided water reticulation points, toilets and boreholes in the markets.

According the him, EDO FADAMA CARES programme has implemented over 75 per cent of its targets across the 18 local government areas.

“Today, as a follow up, the state government is empowering 471 small-holder farmers in Edo Central senatorial district with all this inputs and Assets you are seeing here.

“As a government, we will continue to ensure that we provide all the farm inputs needed to make 2024 farming season a success,” he added.

In his welcome address, the State Project Coordinator, Edward Izevbigie, said the inputs and Assets were hybrid varieties that would guarantee high yields for the farmers.

He disclosed that 160 bags of fertilizers, 1,981 bundles of cassava cuttings, 48 bags of Urea, 300 litres of herbicides and 400kg of maize seeds have been allocated to each of the five LGAs.

He also explained that 15 grinding machines and one tricycle was allocated to Igueben local government, Esan West was allocated 10 grinding machines while Esan central got one tricycle in addition to other inputs distributed.

In his remarks, the chairman of Esan Central local government, Mr John Iyoha, who thanked the governor on behalf of the farmers, promised to set up a monitoring team to ensure that the inputs were well utilized.

According to him, this is the first time the whole of Esan land is witnessing this kind of large-scale inputs distribution. It has never happened.

“We thank Gov. Godwin Obaseki for fulfilling his promises to Esan people,” he said.