CITIZENS COMPASS – The Senator representing Lagos-East Senatorial District, Sen. Adetokunbo Mukhail Abiru on Thursday, May 23, 2024, collaborated with the National Agricultural Land Development Authority(NALDA) to provide free farm inputs to no fewer than 300 farmers in his constituency.
The idea was to boost local food production during the event that was held at his Constituency’s office in Ikorodu, Lagos.
Citizens Compass reports that the farm inputs packages consist of; maize seeds, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and liquid fertilizer which are expected to yield about seven tons of produce.
The beneficiaries were selected through their registered associations and verification of their farm space.
Speaking at the event, Abiru said the essence of providing the inputs was to boost local food production and increase food security in the country.
“If you recall globally, there has been outcry about the cost of food because the capacity of our local farmers has not really been enhanced.
“So the support we are giving today as regards the farm inputs is geared towards boosting local production and enhancing food security,” Abiru said.
He highlighted some of the interventions he had brought to farmers through his office among which is the homegrown scheme for livestock and poultry farmers in the district.
According to him, over 250 people who benefitted from the scheme facilitated through his office were supported with; birds, feeds, and cash to aid their work and increase poultry production in small or large quantities as one of many interventions.
“I have supported the farmers in several ways, over 250 people got home-grown schemes with cash and those who are into livestock farming also benefited.
“Over 300 people benefited from today’s programme as you can see that it is not given on proxy.
“Our collaboration with NALDA has brought a monitoring and measurement mechanism and we are sure of the success rate and positive outcome,” he said.
Abiru, who was represented by his media aide, Mr Enitan Olukotun, advised the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the free farm inputs to increase their production and contribute to the National food security drive of President Bola Tinubu.
Earlier, Mr. Chima Aniuha, NALDA coordinator, said that the programme was made possible as a result of the collaboration between Sen. Abiru and the office of NALDA.
He said the agency has also captured each farmer to develop a database to make it easier to know the population of farmers in the nation and be able to plan agricultural intervention programmes efficiently.
“We also captured the farmers along with their farmland to ensure that needed agric inputs are given to the farmers that needed it, ” he said.
Dr. Hakeem Adetugbobo, member, of the Lagos State University Governing Council and coordinator of the project, urged members to organise themselves into cooperative societies to benefit from other support plans to be facilitated by the Senator.
He said that they were going to attract international grants and advised the farmers to use the inputs to achieve maximum output so that Nigeria would in no time become a food hub.
Also speaking, Mr Femi Oke, chairman of All Farmers Association of Lagos and Southwest, appealed to NALDA to allow other members from other districts and states to benefit from the gesture.
Mrs. Afolake Olayide, Woman leader of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria(AFAN), Lagos chapter, and a beneficiary from Epe commended and appreciated the Senator for his kind gesture.
Mr Sanusi Kamaludeen, a beneficiary from Ikorodu, appreciated the kind gesture and advised others to use the inputs for what is meant to solve the food shortage in the country.
