The Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, kicked off the distribution of farm inputs and assets to 8,200 farmers across the state on Thursday under the Nasarawa State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus programme.
Sule explained that N-CARES is providing 4,000 farmers with an input package of herbicides, fertiliser, and 4,000kg of sesame seeds to support them with climate-smart agricultural inputs to increase farm yields and livelihoods.
Governor Dule noted that N-CARES is also providing 4,200 farmers with an asset package of sprayers, rain boots, hand gloves, and nose masks to serve as personal protective equipment in line with global best practices.
He hailed N-CARES for the provision of farm inputs to support local farmers in order to improve yield and boost agricultural production for food security and value-chain addition in the country.
“As you may be aware, the NG-CARES programme was designed to serve as a response to the hardship occasioned by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which affected the global economy over the years.
“It is also intended to provide support in the form of grants to the poor and vulnerable households, with a view to enhancing access to livelihoods and other social services,” he stated.
The Governor stressed that the Nasarawa State N-CARES programme is prioritising agriculture because agriculture remains the mainstay of the economy of the state, with over 80 percent of the population engaging in one form of farming activity or another.
He used the opportunity to announce that his administration has approved the immediate procurement and distribution of fertilisers and other farm inputs to farmers, in addition to other farm inputs that are being distributed towards delivering the objectives enshrined in the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy.
Commissioner of Finance, Munirat Abdullahi, described the event as a turning point in the state government’s commitment to supporting agriculture, just as she identified that a thriving agricultural sector is vital for the prosperity of the people and the growth of the state’s economy, as well as growing the IGR of the state.
NG-CARES state coordinator, Umar Dahiru Ibrahim, said his agency has so far impacted 100 beneficiaries.
