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.

Freshvine Nigeria Limited     Muslim Media Watch Group Of Nigeria     Opobiyi     CCB     Bolaji Aladie     Ramadan     Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Ilorin Airport     Abdulrazaq Aiyelabegan     Lanre Issa Onilu     Sheriff Olanrewaju     Federal Allocation     Oba Abu     Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road     GGDSS Pakata     Toyin Saraki     Saliu Alamoyo     Kwara University Of Education     Emir Of Kano     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Madawaki     Kunle Suleiman     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Hassan Saliu     Saka Onimago     Kwara Poly     Yakubu Dogara     Shuaib Abdulkadir     Undergraduate Bursary     Ajibike Katibi     Christian Association Of Nigeria     Modibbo Kawu     Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji     Abiodun Oyedepo     Baboko     Kayode Oyin-Zubair     Sayomi     Musa Alhassan Buge     Yahaya Abdulkareem     Yusuf Zulu-Gambari     Sabitiyu Grillo     Elerinjare-Ibobo     Balogin Alanamu     Ilorin     Suleiman Abubakar     Yahya Mohammed     Balogun Ajikobi     Sa\'adatu Modibbo-Kawu     Amada Jidda     Abdulkadir Orire     Kwasu     Sola Saraki University     Afolasade Opeyemi Kemi     Funmilayo Zubair     Raimi Iyanda     Babatunde Ishola Babaita     MMWG     Abatemi-Usman     Bello Oyebanji     Trader Moni     Babaita     Kayode Ibrahim     AbdulGafar Tosho     Toyin Sanusi     College Of Education     Ilorin Anchor Men And Women     Islamic Development Bank     Halidu Danbaba     Rueben Parejo     Nnazua     Isiaka Oniwa     Kwara State Sports Commission     Bareke     Ishaq Salman     John Obuh     Olabode George Towoju    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Local Government Pension Board     Kannike     Aliyu Salihu     Basit Olatunji     Musbau A. Akanji     PPS     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Sebastine Obasi     Afin Descendants Union Of Odo-Owa     Muslim Media Watch Group Of Nigeria     Idi-Ape     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     Nagode     Yahaya Seriki     Adebayo Salami     Ibrahim Abdullahi     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Abdulrahman Abdullahi Kayode     Maryam Nurudeen     Basic Education Certificate Examination     Bashirat Bola Bello     Twitter     Opaleke Bukola Iyabo     TIIDELab     Haliru Yahaya     Maigida Soludero Transit     CACOVID Palliatives     Wahab Issa     Kwara 2019     March 18     Razaq Ayobami Akanbi     Taofik Abdulkareem Babaita     SDP     Jaiz Bank     Senate Presidency     Bolaji Abdullahi     Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     ER-KANG Mining Nigeria Company Limited     Adedeji Onimago     MMWG     Saliu Ajibola Ajia     Tuesday Assayomo     Amusement Park     Adeniyi Ojo     Haruna Tambiri Mohammed     Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Ibrahim Bio     IDPU     Sarah Alade     Umaru Saro     Yekini Adio     Sheu Ndanusa Usman     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Sayomi     Folashade Omoniyi     Neo Mundo Ltd     Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja     Undergraduate Bursary     Elections     First Lady     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa     Ibrahim Akaje     Zainab Abass     Taofeek Sanusi     Allocation     Ojuekun Sarumi     Roheemat Hammed     Olaitan Adefila     Kwarareports.com     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Doyin Agbamu     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Abubakar Baba     Abdulahi Abubakar Bata