The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has empowered 2,775 farmers in 109 crop production clusters spread across all senatorial districts in the country.
All the clusters were provided with agricultural production inputs and supplies such as power tiller, knapsack sprayers, herbicides, organic fertilisers and over 5,000 metric tonnes of maize seeds.
Each of the 25 farmers in the clusters were provided with inputs for one hectare of crop farm land while the power tiller is to be used and maintained as a group.
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The support, Nigerian Tribune learnt, is to enhance the 2024 wet season crop production and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy programme.
Director of Agricultural Extension Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Deola Lordbanjou, who represented the permanent secretary during the distribution programme in Oyo State, said the objective of the empowerment is to reduce the cost of production of the farmers, enhance their income and make farming less drudgery through employment of mechanisation technologies in their farming operations.”
The permanent secretary also advised them to properly manage the power tiller which is meant to improve the efficiency of their field operations.
Also speaking at the event, a director in the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mr Felix Okonkwo, said the monitoring and evaluation of the agricultural inputs supply to small holders has been a great success judging from the success stories recorded by the beneficiaries.
