The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), on Monday assisted over 5,000 Kwara farmers with several million of naira farm inputs.

N-HYPPADEC assisted farmers with power tillers, planters and other farm equipment, while the state government is complementing the intervention with improved maize seeds, fertilisers and agrochemicals.

 

According to the commission’s Managing Director (MD), Abubakar Sadiq Yalwa, aside from the farmers, the commission also earmarked N10 million for 100 indigent farmers recently affected by natural disasters in some deignated agricultural communities.

 

At the relief materials distribution in Ilorin, Yalwa said the intervention was aimed at fulfilling the commission’s earlier promise to assist farmers whose farmlands and crops were destroyed during the dry season.

 

He recalled that the N-HYPPADEC had sympathised with the affected communities at the time of the incident and assured them of support to cushion the impact of their losses.

 

“We are here today to distribute relief items to communities affected during the dry season, where many farmers lost their farmlands and crops. We promised them, and today we are fulfilling that promise,” Yalwa said.

 

He also applauded the state government for supporting with hybrid maize seeds to be given farmers across the five local government areas covered by the programme.

 

It described the initiative as a significant step towards improving agricultural productivity and enhancing farmers’ livelihoods.

 

According to him, the government’s intervention would encourage farmers to increase production, create wealth and contribute to food security in the state.

 

“We felt it was important to appreciate the state government for this initiative and encourage it to continue supporting farmers. This is not only beneficial to the state but also to the farmers and their families,” he said.

 

On the cost of the intervention, Yalwa disclosed that it committed about ₦100 million to the relief exercise, adding that ₦10 million was earmarked for distribution among 100 farmers whose farmlands were affected, while the relief materials were valued at about ₦90 million at the time of purchase.

 

“What is important is that the government is thinking about its people and supporting farmers. That is the real investment,” he said.

 

Also, the Supervising Commissioner for Agriculture in Kwara, Toyosi Thomas says the partnership between the N-HYPPADEC and the state will boost agricultural productivity and improve farmers’ yields.

 

The commissioner described the initiative as a demonstration of effective collaboration between the commission, the state government and local government councils in supporting farmers.

 

She added that the beneficiaries would benefit extension services to ensure proper utilisation of the inputs and adoption of improved farming practices.

 

“It is not common for farmers to receive mechanisation support, production inputs and extension services together. This collaboration is expected to deliver meaningful results,” she said.

 

The commissioner disclosed that the Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture was supporting 7,500 farmers with fertilisers, while 2,000 farmers would benefit from the state’s Special Maize Programme.

 

She explained that the programme was designed as a holistic intervention, providing mechanisation support, technical extension services, production inputs and an off-take arrangement with Flour Mills.

 

The Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Abubakar Abdullai, advised the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the intervention by adopting improved farming practices and maximising the use of the hybrid seeds.

 

He said Kwara has enormous agricultural potential, noting that maize can be cultivated twice annually while rice can be grown up to three times a year because of the state’s favourable conditions.

 

“There are buyers waiting for the harvest. The opportunity is there, and it is now up to the farmers to make the most of it and become successful commercial farmers,” he added.