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.

2023 Elections     Ilorin Curfew     Playing Host     Olatunde Michaels     Ishaq Salman     Sa\'adatu Modibbo-Kawu     Guber Aspirant     Abdulganiy Abimbola Abdussalam     Makama     Dogara     Arik     Ademola Kiyesola     Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji     Eleja Taiwo Banu     Fola Consultant     Kwarareports     Femi Oladiji     Afolabi-Oshatimehin     Balogun-Ojomu     Durosinlohun Atiku     Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship     Clement Yomi Adeboye     Omotoso     Ilota     JMK Construction Company Limited     Labaeka     Chief Of Staff     Moses Afolayan     Jimoh Olusola Imam     Olam Food Ingredients     Haruna Olawale Sulaiman     N-Power     Abubakar Suleiman     Ramadhan     Local Government Pension Board     Kale Bayero     International Public Sector Accounting Standards     IYA ALFA NLA     Kwara 2023     NURTW     Saeedat Aliyu     Jimba Babatunde     Minister     Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh     Wahab Kunle Shittu     Abdullahi Samari     Ike Ekweremadu     Mohammed Lawal     Abdulrasheed Akogun     Abioye Bello     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Abiodun Oyedepo     Sa\'adu Salahu     Iliasu     Atiku     Zainab Abass     Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan     Binta Sulyman     TVC Female National Debate     Yusuf Aiyedun     Ganiyu Taofiq     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu     Wasiu Onidugbe     Ridwan Agboola     Saliu Alamoyo     Council Of The Wise     Saliu Ajibola Ajia     Kisra     Pategi     Modupe Oluwole     United Nigeria Airline     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     Curfew     Ilesha-Gwanara     Abdulahi Abubakar Bata     Umar Sanda Yusuf    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Abatemi-Usman     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     Moses Rahman Popoola     Olushola Saraki     Umar Saro     Oloruntoyosi Thomas     Bankole Omishore     Olatunde Olukoya     Funke Adedoyin     Issa Memunat Moyosore     Yekini Adio     Agbarere     Taofik Abiodun Ahmed     Face Masks     Muslim Media Watch Group Of Nigeria     Olaiya Lawal     Bolakale Kawu     Okala Baba     Ella Supreme Tissue Paper     Ogbondoroko     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Kwara Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     Wahab Issa     Emmanuel Bello     Saudat Abdulbaqi     Al-Adaby     Inside Kwara     Adewuyi Funmilayo     Ali Ahmad     JMK Construction Company Limited     Tafida     Christopher Tunji Ayeni     Roheemat Hammed     Aso Ofi     Babaita     Minimum Wage     Millennium Development Goals     Sulyman Age AbdulKareem     Abdulkadir Orire     Baaziki Sulaiman     Abdulrahman Abdulrasak     Gbemisola Saraki     Ile Arugbo     ITEM 7     Adanla-Irese     Valsolar     Sarafadeen Kayode Akorede     NULGE     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Senior Special Assistant On Student Affairs     NITDA     Muhammadu Buhari     2023 Elections     Durbar Festival     SSA Youth Engagement     Ilota     Ahmed     Monkey Pox     Gbemi Saraki     Charles Ibitoye     Oniye     Ilorin Innovation Hub     Buari Edun     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Adeleke Ogungbe     Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa     John Obuh     Pakata Development Association     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Earlyon Technologies     Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah     Mashood Abdulrafiu Agboola     Adamu Atta     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Ilorin     Opobiyi     Siraj Oyewale