In an attempt to increase food production during the wet season, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security gave farmers in Kogi State, Nigeria, 25 trucks full with fertilizer. In order to improve agricultural output, fertilizers will be distributed throughout the 21 local government areas, according to George Ogirima, Managing Director of the Kogi State Agricultural Development Project. The governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, opened the fertilizer distribution ceremony by highlighting the state’s dedication to advancing agriculture, cautioning against fertilizer misuse, and emphasizing that the fertilizer should only be provided to legitimate farmers.
Major farming communities in Ibaji and Bassa local government districts would receive half of the supply, according to a statement made by Governor Ododo. Given Nigeria’s abundance of land, water resources, and political will at the moment, he recognized agriculture as a critical industry capable of revolutionizing the nation’s economy. Ododo expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his backing and pledged to keep funding the state’s agriculture industry in order to increase food production there. The governor’s attempts to establish Kogi as a significant food-producing state have been commended by Timothy Ojomah, the Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security.
The area is battling the consequences of climate change.
Most of the people living in Kogi State, in north-central Nigeria, work as farmers. The state has a primarily agrarian economy. The agricultural industry does, however, have a number of difficulties, such as restricted access to financing facilities, weak infrastructure, and insufficient availability of contemporary agricultural supplies. Additionally, the area is battling the consequences of climate change, which include crop yield-reducing floods and erratic rainfall patterns. Further impeding farmers’ output is the exorbitant expenses and dearth of herbicides, fertilizers, and better seeds. In spite of these obstacles, Kogi’s agriculture industry continues to be vital, generating a sizable portion of the state’s GDP and supporting several households with jobs.
More so, the Nigerian government has been supporting farmers with a number of initiatives in recent years, including subsidized inputs, training programs on contemporary farming methods, and agricultural loans available through programs like the Anchor Borrowers’ Program and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL). The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security recently distributed 25 trucks full of fertilizer as part of its efforts to increase food production during the rainy season farming.
Each bag will be traced to maintain accountability and transparency.
Approximately 10,000 farmers in Kogi State stand to gain from the fertilizer handout, which agricultural experts estimate could increase crop yields by up to 30%. Given their notable contributions to the production of rice, maize, and cassava, the state government has been giving priority to distribute to areas with a high concentration of farming operations, including Ibaji and Bassa. ADP, which aims to give local farmers access to markets, farm inputs, and extension services, is one of the specific policies that Kogi State has been undertaking to enhance agriculture.
Additionally, the state and federal governments have been actively working together on projects such as the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), which aims to use Technology and creative farming methods to promote Sustainable Agricultural growth. Nonetheless, obstacles in the distribution process, like fertilizer diversion, unequal distribution, and political meddling, continue to be major worries. Declaring, “The fertilizers must reach the real farmers,” Governor Ododo has vowed to take a strong approach to addressing these problems. To avoid any kind of sabotage, they will trace each bag and maintain accountability and transparency throughout the distribution process.
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A issue in Logistics is getting to rural places with inadequate road networks. To ensure prompt delivery of the fertilizers to all approved regions, the state administration has teamed up with regional transport unions. In an effort to reduce the likelihood of corruption, the government has established monitoring committees with community members to supervise distribution and report any anomalies. The state and federal governments’ joint efforts and interventions demonstrate their dedication to reviving Kogi State’s agricultural sector, boosting food security, and enabling local farmers to raise their standard of living.