Sokoto, – Dry season farmers in Sokoto State on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to review the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme to boost farmers’ productivity.
The scheme, introduced by former President Goodluck Jonathan, relied on the use of mobile phone lines for the distribution of fertiliser, improved seeds and other farm inputs to farmers in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that agro-dealers were engaged for the distribution of the inputs across the country, while about 10 million GSM lines were registered for the scheme.
A cross section of the farmers in the state told NAN that the scheme was the best ever used in the sale of the inputs at subsidised rate to farmers.
Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu, a farmer at Takakume, Goronyo Local Government Area, said farmers received text messages directing them to collect the inputs at the nearest distribution point.
“Registered farmers under the scheme are being allocated three bags of NPK and Urea fertilizer each, improved rice and maize seeds and chemicals at the cost of N9,000,’’ he said.
Adamu said he was engaged in dry season farming for two decades, adding that a review of the scheme would go a long way to improve crop yield.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He stressed the need to encourage more Nigerians to engage in farming activities.
Another farmer at Falaliya village, Goronyo, Alhaji Hussaini Salisu, called on the government to provide more agricultural support services to farmers.
“We are also appealing to the federal government to come to our aid by addressing the problem of perennial flooding at the falaliya old irrigation scheme,” he added.
Salisu lamented that the area was renowned for the production of rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, water melon, garlic, sweet and hot pepper, among others.
Malam Aliyu Chika of Yar-Rimawa fadama, Sokoto, however, called for the construction of more access roads in the fadama users’ areas of the state.
Alhaji Hamisu Sani, a farmer at Huchi, Wurno Local Government area, welcomed efforts by the state government to establish agro-processing factory in partnership with Erisco Nigeria.
He said the factory, when established, would reduce unemployment and poverty across the state.
When contacted, the Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Alhaji Umaru Nagwari, said the state government would provide
fertiliser to dry season farmers at 70 per cent subsidy.
“The state government will also distribute free improved seeds to farmers across the state,” Nagwari said.
Alhaji Mukhtar Anka, the Managing Director, Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA), said the Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank, had commenced rehabilitation of Bakolori and Goronyo dams in Zamfara and Sokoto State, respectively .
Anka said the two projects, when completed, would cover 19,000 hectares of irrigable land.
“Bakolori dam irrigation scheme will cover 15,000 hectares, while that of Goronyo dam will cover 4,000 hectares,” he said. (NAN)
