Wheat farmers in Gombe State are singing the praises of the federal government for providing them with essential inputs, leading to a significant boost in their yields this year.
Chairman of the Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, Gombe State chapter, Lawan Bala Garba commended the federal government’s support during an on-the-spot assessment of wheat farms in the state by officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
According to him, the federal government’s support includes providing inputs and implements on loan at a highly subsidised rate with the government covering 75 percent of the cost and farmers paying only 25 percent.
“This initiative has benefited no less than 7,000 wheat farmers in the state,” he noted.
While expressing gratitude for the government’s support, other farmers noted that they still face challenges related to energy as their fuel-powered pumps are expensive to use due to high cost of fuel.
They appealed to the government to intervene in this area, suggesting that solar-powered water pumps would greatly ease their operations.
Senior special assistant to the minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Adewoye Adeyemi, who is the team lead, assured the farmers that the federal government would provide tractors in March next year to further encourage mechanised farming.
He explained that the support is part of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket Programme, aimed at boosting agriculture and ensuring food security amid the current food inflation in the nation.
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