The Victims Support Fund (VSF) has empowered 3,000 peasant farmers with farming inputs to boost agricultural activities in Ngamboru Ngala and Gwoza Local Government Areas in Borno state.
Supervising the distribution exercise on Monday at Ngamboru town, in Ngamboru Ngala Local Government Area, the Executive Director of VSF, Prof. Nana Tanko, said that empowering the framers is critical to ensure that the victims of insurgency have access to their farmlands which will ensure food security in the state.
She explained that empowering the farmers is not merely an investment in agriculture but it would go a long way in solving hunger problem which is part of investing for the future of the country.
According to her, the 3,000 beneficiaries were strategically selected from peasant farmers in their various communities based on their agricultural productivity, 1800 from Ngamboru – Nagala LGA while 1,200 were selected from Gwoza LGA, specifically Izge.
She explained that each beneficiary got 25kg of rice seed, 50kg of fertiliser, two Litres of Insecticides, 1Ltr of herbicide, one Knapsack sprayer, among others.
The DG further noted that agricultural extension workers have been trained by VSF in the two LGAs to guide the farmers on how to boost food production during the dry season farming.
“VSF is committed to addressing poverty in several ways, including through dry season farming, because the rainy season farming is no more sustainable in Borno State due to the negative effects of climate change, so there is need for an extensive irrigation farming.
“The intervention is part of the VSF 2023 project to support the Borno state agricultural initiative.
“Victims support fund has been working in the Northeast since 2014 providing succour to victims of insurgency in areas of peace building, livelihood and recovery, construction and Education.
“When we went round the town, we discovered that it is a community that is adequately engaged in dry season farming, so they have no doubt that the items brought will add a lot of value to the farmers, you see people have come back to their ancestral communities, this is the last major event to be implemented by VSF in Borno state so it means so much to the VSF.
“The victims support fund led by Gen. TY Danjuma is committed in bringing succour to the victims of insurgency, now we have distributed dry farming imputs Ngala where 1800 beneficiaries received their farm inputs.
She urged the beneficiaries to use the inputs effectively to make sure they get the desired result at the end of the season.
Speaking, Borno Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum who flagged off the distribution exercise, said the items given to the farmers would enhance food production in the state.
He explained that Borno is a agrarian state and farming is a backbone of the, the imputs would help the farmers not only for food production but in Strengthening the economy of the state.
Zulum was represented by the state Commissioner of Agriculture, Bawu Musami, described the empowerment as timely and will go a long way in providing food in the state and the nation at large.
“The victims support fund had always been there for the state in times of need, and today they are here again to give full support to the farmers in the state.
“I urged you to make good use of the farm inputs given to you and make your communities have enough food.
Some of the beneficiaries interviewed, expressed gratitude to VSF for providing them with the dry season farming inputs, saying they would use the items to boost food production in their communities.
