Kwara Rice Farmers Lament Delay in Agro-pockets Initiative
According to a news report from Leadership, rice farmers in Kwara State have expressed their disappointment and frustration over the delay in the supply of agricultural inputs through the Agro-pockets initiative, which was approved for them by the federal government, as reported by Leadership.
The initiative, designed to support small-scale farmers, has been hindered by the failure of some agro dealers contracted by the government to deliver the inputs.
The coordinator of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Kwara State, Malam Mohammed Salihu, spoke on behalf of the affected farmers, highlighting the difficulties they are facing due to the delay. The farmers are eager to receive the necessary inputs to enhance their productivity and meet the demands of the market.
Salihu, who spoke exclusively with LEADERSHIP in Ilorin, Kwara State capital said: “We're disturbed by the delay in the supply of the inputs by some agro dealers to the beneficiaries as planned.”
He, however, praised the federal and Kwara State governments for approving the agricultural inputs for 2000 rice farmers in the state, saying that the inputs will improve food production and ensure food security in the country.
He called for the introduction of a strategy devoid of bureaucratic bottleneck to ensure timely delivery of the inputs and get rid of wrong beneficiaries.
Salihu appealed to the federal government to incorporate indigenous agro-dealers in the supply of the inputs or channel the inputs through the commodity association to ensure efficiency in implementing the programme.
He also urged the government to decentralise the work of service providers to the state level to prevent duplication and the sending of token text messages to the wrong beneficiaries.
He said the farm inputs distributed would be helpful to all farmers irrespective of their status, expressing satisfaction with the quality of branded fertilizer, seed, chemicals, organic fertilizer and pesticides received by farmers to improve their productivity.
“The redemption of 25 percent of the total cost of the input by the beneficiaries while the government pays the balance is a commendable effort,” he said.
He, however, appealed to government at all levels to consider making the inputs intervention totally free for farmers in order to accommodate more beneficiaries, adding that larger number of the farmers live below poverty line and cannot afford to pay the 25 percent if accommodated.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Solomon Edoja Ilesha-Baruba Bareke JUSUN Mufutau Olatinwo Ilorin Emirate Staff Association Bisi Kristien Oluranti Idowu Ishak Mohammed Sabi Isau Razaq Atunwa Taofeeq Olateju Ibrahim Agboola Gambari Opaleke Bukola Iyabo Sambo Murtala GANZY Yusuf Abdulkadir Modupe Oluwole Ilorin Muslim Community Oro Grammar School Abdullahi G. Mohammad BIR Isiaka Abdulrazak Egbejila Yahaya Muhammad Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez Sheikh Ariyibi Esinrogunjo Col. Taiwo Shero Iponrin Sanitation Exercise Nigeria Association Of Women Journalists Sobi Ishaq Salman Timothy Akangbe Aisha Buhari Soffiyyallah Kamaldeen Mutawali Aminu Ado Bayero KWATMA Wakilin Mata Lafiagi Alfa Belgore Ilorin South Rueben Parejo Kwara Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations Adisa Logun Ado Ibrahim Hassan A. Saliu Fatima Abolore Jimoh African Democratic Congress Waheed Ibrahim Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants Ltd JSSCE Tunde Mukaila Mustapha Olatunji Bamgbola Muazam Nayaya SWAN Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu Tafidan Kaiama Oju Ekun Sarumi Abubakar Lah Waziri Yakubu Gobir Sunday Fagbemi Sun Qing Rong International Aviation College Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road Salary Unicontinental Construction Company Voices Of Tomorrow Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu Fatimat Saliu Clara Nwachukwu Suwa-Arabs Gobir Organization Foundation Dankaka Suleiman Ajadi

