600,000 farmers benefit from GES in Adamawa

No fewer than 600,000 farmers in Adamawa are to benefit from subsidised fertiliser under the Federal Government’s Growth Enhancement Scheme this year.

The Director in charge of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the state, Dr. Walia Hamman, stated this on Wednesday in Yola at the flag-off of the second phase of distribution of the commodity under the scheme.

Hamman said the figure was higher than last year’s 193,000 farmers that benefitted from the scheme, adding that the increase was in response to the State Government’s request to the federal government.

“I wish to inform you that on the request of the Acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, graciously approved the scaling up of GES in Adamawa state.

“Over 600,000 farmers will benefit, as against 193,000 farmers that benefitted from earlier GES,” he said.

Hamman, who explained that under the programme, each farmer would be given two bags, said he was optimistic that the gesture would lead to bumper harvest.

In his address, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief John Elias, said government had received supply of 1.2 million bags of fertiliser for this cropping season.

Elias said government was also making preparations for dry season farming and advised farmers who incurred losses as a result of flooding to take advantage of the programme.

However, he warned dealers who would handle the sales across the state to avoid sharp practices, saying that government would monitor the exercise and sanction anyone found wanting.

In his remarks, the state Chairman, Agro Dealers Association, Alhaji Usman Bapullo, said the association had established 45 centres across the state for the sale to ensure hitch-free sales of the commodity.

Bapullo thanked government for the confidence reposed in them and assured that they would not disappoint the people.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that farmers are to pay N2,700 per bag of fertiliser as against N6,000 in the market.