It was an historic event as all stakeholders in the Farming, Agro processing and Food production value chain came together at the flag off ceremony for the distribution of ferterlizers to South-West Farmers under the Renewed Hope Agricultural Intervention for Farmers facilitated by Hon. Abiodun Muftau Yinusa (SA to the President on Agriculture and Food Security).
Mrs. Kudirat Ande who is the President of She-Farmers Initiative asserted that the gesture is well received by clusters of respective farming groups whom has been brought together to receive the ferterlizers across the region and she appreciate the magnanimity of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to farmers, she said it will go a long way in boosting food production and ensuring that there is also food security within the region. The strategy is such that all uncultivated lands in South-West will be occupied and cultivated for food production so as to maximise this opportunity of giving farmers inputs to assist them in boosting their efforts. She assured that all stakeholders in the Agro Processing including the All Farmers Association of Nigeria have all resolved to come together to change the narratives and show much more commitments which is the most potent tool towards getting massive supports for the Federal Government to commercialise the entire farming activities through strategic engagement of women and youths.
In her words, “Nigeria is a land that is blessed with so many commodities across the length and breath of Nigeria; each state is endowed with peculiar cash crops in abundance for local production as well as export which can boost our economy, we are determined to scale up farming activities by ensuring all women and men farmers come together to do commercial farming in order to bridge wide gap between subsistence farming and mechanised farming with necessary support from the government; we need to take ownership of this government which belongs to all of us and we should all embrace Nigeria as one united entity that is not divided by religion, by politics, by tribe and by other forms of divides”
The representatives of the SA to President on Agriculture and Food Security; Mr. Rafiu Lawal and Hon. Taiwo Ayedun (Shanana) in their goodwill messages assured the farmers of much more support from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. While admonishing all stakeholders to embrace this initiative that is being flag off in Lagos with intention to spread it across the entire South-West in the coming days. The government is ready and willing to closely work with farmers and well as other stakeholders in the Agro processing value chain by providing necessary support aimed at facilitating improved mechanised farming, capacity building, agro processing equipments and ensuring consistent supply agricultural inputs as well as other support services that will guarantee increase in food production.
The fertilizers were presented to beneficiaries across board with assurance that other states within the region will begin to get their own bulk immediately.
