By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri
The governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, on Tuesday flagged-off the distribution of 312 tractors and 600,000 bags of fertilizers to farmers in the state for the 2023 cropping season.
The gesture is aimed at improving food security and production in the state.
Flagging-off the distribution at the Farm Centre, Maiduguri, Zulum said, “It is my singular honour and privilege to flag-off the distribution of tractors and bags of fertilizer for the 2023 cropping season.
“We procured 100 trucks of fertilizer for distribution to farmers across the 27 local government areas of state. Each bag, which sale in the open market is about N30,000, will be sold at the subsidized price of 25 percent discount.
“We are also flagging off the distribution of 312 tractors to 312 wards of the state, where each farming cooperative group that consist of at least five to 10 members would benefit, and to ensure that only the deserving farmers got it, we are going to give only five tractors per local government area for this season, pending the compiling of the benefiting cooperative groups.”
He warned that government will put in place stringent measures to ensure that the allocations are given to only deserving farmers, who operate within the state, and anybody found wanting will be dealt with.
In a vote of thanks on behalf of the beneficiaries, the chairman of the Association of local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Hon. Ali Bolori, thanked the Borno State government under the leadership of Governor Zulum for giving agriculture the desired attention; assuring that the tractors will be closely monitored to ensure that only deserving farmers benefits and operate within their respective council areas.
