FG distributes agricultural inputs

In a bid to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food production in Nigeria, the Federal Government has started the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers nationwide.

 According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the move would boost agricultural production and avert food scarcity in 2021.

It said in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday that the inputs distributed to smallholder farmers included various varieties of seeds of rice, maize, wheat and palm seedlings.

 The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, inaugurated the distribution exercise in Kaduna.

 He said, “The Federal Government will continue to support smallholder farmers with relevant inputs through associations and cooperatives to ensure that the country does not experience food shortages as a result of the pandemic.

 “Rice farmers through the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria will receive support worth about 270 metric tonnes and 300MT of certified seeds of FARO 66 and 300MT of foundation seeds of flood- tolerant rice varieties of FARO 66 and FARO 67.”

He added, “The ministry is also distributing 26MT of certified wheat seeds to wheat farmers, 1,350 maize production kits and 18,517Kg of Aflasafe to ensure that the maize produced is aflatoxin-free.”

Nanono said the association was expected to distribute the seeds to its members nationwide for the 2020 cropping season.