Kwara Rice Farmers Lament Delay in Agro-pockets Initiative

Date: 2024-10-23

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.

Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     Issa Baba     Kupchi Hosea Maxwell     AbdulQowiy Olododo     Buhari     Mogaji Aare     Lanre Aremu     Sarkin Malamai     Sidikat Alaya     Kazeem Gbolagade     Admiralty Villa     Doyin Agbamu     Salihu S. Yaru     Adebayo Salami     Danladi     M.Y. Abdulrahaman     Lawal Olohungbebe     Oloriegbe     Adeleke Ogungbe     Ilorin South Constituency     KWSIEC     Asiwaju Bola Tinubu     Tosho Yaqub     Olokoba     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Al-Hikmah Radio     N-Power     Alaro     Facemasks     Kwara South     Saidu Yaro Musa     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Alaaya     Kemi Adeosun     Offa Poly     Doyin Group     Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim     Abioye Bello     Abiodun Musa Aibinu     Rashidi Yekini     Kayode Oyin-Zubair     Zulkifli Ibraheem     Usman Yunusa     Bareke     Ilorin Likeminds Foundation     Olayinka Are     Mohammed Haruna     Bamidele Adegoke     Ita-Nmo Market     Funmilayo Oniwa     Kwara State Pension Board     Jelili Yusuf     Asa     Saliu Tunde Bello     National Party Of Nigeria     Fola Consultant     Ita-Ore     Eleja     Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi     Sabi     Elerin Of Adanla     Eleyele     Ramadhan     Teachers Specific Allowance     Olubukola Kifayat Adedeji     Bello Abubakar     Undergraduate Bursary     Umaru Saro     Oko-Erin     Lucky Omoluwa     Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital     ER-KANG     Mary Kemi Adeosun     Monsurat Omotosho     Kamoru Kadiri     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Mazars Consulting    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Awwal Jawondo     Olokoba Abdullahi Ayinla     Kayode Issa     Adaramaja     Gani Saadu     Shero     Kwara State Governor     Ado Bayero     Sola Saraki Educational Foundation     Aremu Bose Deborah     Gobirawa     Buhari     Ibrahim Kayode Adeyemi     Mohammed Ibrahim     Alimi Abdulrazaq     Okeose Christian Cementary     Olatunde Michaels     Moshood Mustapha     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Na\'Allah     Mohammed Abduraheem     Moro     Raji AbdulRasaq     Arca Santa     Olukotun Of Ikotun     Sardauna     Nigeria Computer Society     Unicontinental Construction Company     Eruku     Oko-Olowo     Olohungbebe     Cornelius Fawenu     Bayer AG     Aliyu Kora-Sabi     Sheikh Ariyibi     Trade Lenda SME Fair     Jimoh Lambe Abdulkareem     AIT Ilorin     John Olajide Adedipe     Harafat E. Mukadam     Aisha Buhari     Apata Ajele Secondary School     Federal Road Maintenance Agency     ENetSuD     Omu-aran     Femi Ogunsola     Imodoye Writer’s Enclave     Law School Scholarship     Gbenga Awoyale     Amasa     Firdaos Amasa     Hijaab     Shonga     Salman Suleiman     Ilorin Talaka Parapo     Ojo Isekuse     Nupe     Ramat Oganija     TETFUND     Tunde Yusuf     Isaac Gbenle     Aliyu Sabi     Chikanda     Olokoba Sulyman     Gabriel Fashanu     Oluwole Dupe     Abdullahi Adisa Akodudu     Ahmed Dankaya     Olaitan Buraimoh     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     Madawaki Of Ilorin     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Oke-Odo     Chief Imam Of Omu-Aran     Abdulmumini Sanni Jawondo     Rafiu Olasile