The Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has disclosed that the state has concluded plans to attract investment of N10 billion to assist rice farmers in the state.
Governor Sule made the disclosure at the flagging-off of the sales of 1,020 metric tons of fertilizer; 1,950 sprayers; five tons of improved seeds and assorted agro-chemicals for the 2021 planting season.
Recall that last year, the Nasarawa State government procured and distributed 240 metric tons of
assorted fertilizers to dry season farmers.
Speaking at the event, Governor Sule said, “The state has concluded plans, in collaboration with the Rice Farmers Association, to attract investment of a whopping sum of N10 billion to assist rice farmers in the state, under the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.”
This was even as the governor said effort was underway to procure more quantities of fertilizer to help rejuvenate most of the soils in the state that have remained less fertile and unproductive.
He said, “It is pertinent to state that affordable technologies
are critical to increased crop productivities. In this regard, government is determined to strengthen the extension services delivery system of the Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme, NADP, to provide effective extension services and train farmers on Good Agricultural Practices, GAP.”
The governor averred that “the fertilizer will be sold to farmers at subsidized rate of N5,000 only per bag. I wish to charge the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and the Local Government Distribution Committee to ensure that the relevant Small Holder Farmers benefit from this gesture of government.”
Sule concluded by sounding a note of warning that any untoward practices in the sales of fertilizer will not be tolerated and will be met with stiff punitive measure, irrespective of the calibre of persons involved.
