Edo ADP to distribute 2000 oil palm seedlings to farmers

The Edo Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) has said that it is planning to distribute 2000 oil palm seedlings to farmers in the state.

The Programme Manager, Mr Peter Aikhuomobhogbe, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Sunday.

According to him, the oil palm seedlings will be given to the interested farmers at subsidised rates.

We have acquired highly improved varieties of oil palm seedlings. We have also done research on them and discovered that they are good varieties.

We are going to give them out at subsidised rates to the interested farmers,’’ Aikhuomobhogbe said.

Aikhuomobhogbe further said that the state ADP would also procure other improved seeds from reputable sources and distribute them to farmers in the state at subsidised rates.

He listed maize seeds, rice seeds and vegetable seeds as the major ones to be procured ahead of the planting season.

The programme manager said that the farmers would be linked to where they would get the 419 TMS980505 improved varieties of cassava cuttings for planting.

We already have growers who have the cassava cuttings. We are just waiting for the rains to come for us to do the linking and teach them how to plant the cuttings.

Our aim is to improve production and guarantee food security in the state,” he said.

He further said that this year, the Edo ADP would hold monthly technology review meetings, invites scientists and researchers from universities to train extension agents.

He said the Edo ADP would carry out four farm adoption research trials, adding that the essence was to try newly-found crops to ascertain their viability. (NAN)