As part of efforts to boost rice production in Kogi State, the World Bank Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project has distributed input to 515 rice farmers in five communities in three local government areas of the state.
Addressing the farmers during an interactive meeting and the official flag-off of input and equipment distribution to rice farmers at Owara community in Lokoja local government area yesterday, the Kogi State coordinator of APPEALS project Dr Sanni Abdullahi Ozomata, said the intervention is aimed at enhancing the productivity of the farmers in rice production.
He revealed that the 2022 rating of states across the country that produced rice, Kogi State came second, stressing that APPEALS project would continue to support rice farmers to sustain the position and even become first in the 2023 rating.
He stated that 75 rice farmers have been carefully selected from Owara community, 90 farmers in Kumgbani, 120 in Tsanawa all in Lokoja LGA while 120 in Panda, Kogi LGA and 110 in Osara Dam in Okehi local government to benefit from the 2023 wet season farming.
The state coordinator charged the beneficiaries to take the advantage of agricultural interventions of the government to generate income to enhance their livelihood.
Ozomata, who warned the farmers against selling the inputs, said the project will continue to monitor the activities of the farmers to ensure that the inputs are judiciously utilised.
The Kogi State commissioner for agriculture, David Apeh, in his remarks, said the impact of the APPEALS project in Kogi State has paid off with many rice, cassava and cashew farmers smiling to banks through the timely intervention of the project.
While commending Governor Yahaya Bello for his love and concern for farmers in the state, the commissioner urged farmers in Owara and other benefiting communities of the wet season farming input to justify government effort by utilising the items to enhance their productivity.
The traditional ruler of Owara community, Saidu Aliyu Adoga while commending the officials of the APPEALS project and the Kogi State government for their effort in reaching out to the farmers in his domain , the royal father promised to set up a monitoring committee within the community that will ensure that the beneficiaries of the intervention will utilise the input to advance the cause of massive rice production in Owara community.
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