NG-CARES: 7,400 Kebbi Farmers Get N2.4bn Input, Fertilizer

Ismail Adebayo in Birnin Kebbi

No fewer than 7,400 small stakeholders farmer's associations in Kebbi State have benefitted from the N2.4bn NG-CARES Federal Government agricultural program to boost food security in the sate and country at large.

While speaking during the ceremony organised by the Kebbi State Agricultural and Rural Development Agency  (KARDA) for the distribution of fertilizer and other farm input to farmers, Commissioner for Agriculture, Abdullahi Maigari Dakingari said the fertilizer distribution to 7, 400 farmers in the state was a stimulus to cushion the effect of Covid- 19 and help famers increase their food production capacity and boost food security in the state and the nation at large.

He said Kebbi is a serious agricultural sate blessed with enormous resources, committed farmers, and good leadership to boost its agricultural potential.

He said the state government has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the farmers as shown in the successes recorded in rice production in the state. 

"Government is committed to boosting the agricultural potentials of Kebbi State through its many engagements with farmers and distribution of farm input to small stakeholders farmers to boost their production capacity", Maigari said

On the Quala birds that were reported to have destroyed some rice farms in the Argungu area of the state, he said their invasion was overwhelming for the farmers but the governor has approved the spraying of the affected farms.

He said, "The birds came into kebbi from the neighboring countries, particularly Niger Republic but thank God the farmers have harvested their rice before the birds invasion".