MAIDUGURI – About 250,000 Borno farmers are expected to receive fertiliser under the Federal Government electronic wallet system of the Growth Enhancements Scheme (GES) this year, according to an official.
Alhaji Bukar Musa, the Acting Federal Director of Agriculture in Borno, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.
Musa said that each farmer would receive a bag of NPK and Urea brand of fertilisers at N2,750 which translates to 50 per cent subsidy.
He said that most of the farmers had already received phone alert on their cell phones for the allocation, thereby enhancing access to the input. [eap_ad_1] “Most farmers have already received alert on their phones of the fertilizer allocation.
“However, there are some areas with poor GSM networks due mainly to the security challenges in the state.
“We have introduced radio jingles and announcement to alert this category of farmers.
” We have also made contact with farmers associations and cooperatives towards reaching out to farmers at the grassroots level.”
He said that a total of 12 agro dealers had been shortlisted for the sale of the fertiliser to genuine farmers this year.
Musa said that all farmers in Borno North and Central zones would receive their supply in Maiduguri due to security reasons.
He said farmers in Southern Borno would get their supply in their local government except for those in Damboa and Gwoza councils, who will get their supply in Askira Uba local government due to security reasons.
Musa expressed optimism of a bumper harvest in the state in spite of the security challenge. (NAN)
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