BY SUNDAY EGEDE
Delta State Government, yesterday, said it would commence the distribution of 9,000 bags of fertilizers to farmers’ associations to support food security and productivity on October 15, 2024.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Emu disclosed this at a meeting with the leadership of the farmers’ associations in Asaba.
The fertilizers were distributed accordingly to oil palm 1,490 bags; Cassava 1,100; Banana and plantain 350; Maize 70; Yam 120 bags; Rice 150; Vegetables and greenhouse farmers 200; Independent farmers 150 bags.
He appealed to the farmers to utilise the fertilizers judiciously to improve food production in the state.
According to him, “Last week, we had a session with farmers associations oil palm, maize yam cassava banana and plantain yams, rice and vegetables.
“We all agreed that of the 12,000 bags of fertilizers we received from the Federal Government, we set aside 3,000 bags for dry season farming which is about starting.
“So we now have 9,000 bags for large, medium and small scale farm holders. We are attacking food insecurity and we are looking at the areas where we can get the mileage for quick food supply so meeting the association is a first step.
“There are a lot of people who are also not in the association but we have made a good move which is 40 percent of the 9,000 which is 3,600 bags to the association and that we did to encourage the association’s job.
“Where we are today is the distribution to all the associations and I have told them to emphasise areas of comparative advantage. Talking about yams, there are areas where we can produce more yams, and in the distribution, it should reflect that in all the crops.
“We expect them to go the warehouse to evacuate everything that belongs to them latest on Tuesday and we have set up a small committee comprising the Special Adviser on Agriculture and the Director of Crops and Livestock. “In 2016 we were able to determine political farmers by sending farm input materials directly to the farms and we found out that many of them were political farmers. “So we have the model and we are very convinced that the fertilizers will get to the real farmers to improve food production in the state.
“We advised the farmers to be their brother’s keepers by ensuring that the fertilizers get to the core farmers by taking the fertilizers to farms instead of the Secondary market where they will be sold.”
