AMIDST scheduled dry season farming starting on November 25, 2023, the Federal Government has given the green light to a 50% reduction in the cost of agricultural inputs for farmers.
An official statement from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security revealed this development on Friday.
It was disclosed that the launch ceremony of the initiative in Jigawa state will be spearheaded by the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari.
In addition to marking the commencement of dry season farming, the event will include the distribution of vital resources such as seedlings, herbicides, pesticides, and more.
The dry season farming initiative will be executed nationwide, covering all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The government’s commitment to supporting farmers through a 50% subsidy on essential agricultural inputs was emphasized in the statement.
“Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the Hon. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, will lead several other dignitaries to Hadejia, Jigawa State, for the ceremony,” the statement stated.
During the event, various agricultural inputs including seeds, fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides will be provided to farmers at a reduced cost, with the government covering half of the expenses.
Nigeria’s current food inflation stands at 31.5%, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
It was also mentioned in the statement that the African Development Bank is providing substantial support for the dry season farming initiative through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket project.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security highlighted that the NAGS-AP project will utilize digital technology. The ministry has already geolocated and registered over 250,000 farmers, emphasizing an ICT-driven implementation approach.
“The implementation is ICT-driven with earlier steps taken to geo-locate farmlands, enumerate, register, and cluster no fewer than 250,000 farmers,” the statement clarified.
