The House of Representatives member, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in Lagos State, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, has supported selected farmers in Kogi State with agricultural inputs worth N150 million.
The objective of the support is to help farmers recover from food price falls.
An agric expert and Consultant to Hon. Faleke on the project, Dr Tunde Arosanyin, flagged off the training and distribution of the inputs to farmers on Friday in Lokoja.
Arosanyin said the initiative was in collaboration with the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFMT) Lagos, and Bright-tech Resources Limited.
He said the agric input support was to help farmers recover from losses incurred due to the recent fall in food prices.
According to him, Faleke’s project, which started in June this year, has been empowering farmers across the three senatorial districts of Kogi.
He said the project will provide farmers with essential inputs like sprayers, herbicides, seeds, liquid organic fertilizer, cash assistance and other resources.
Arosanyin added that the beneficiaries also received training to build their capacity on various value chains, including cassava and fisheries.
“A total of 165 farmers from across the three senatorial districts of Kogi State will benefit from the programme.
“The project includes demonstration farms, with over 150 hectares of land cleared and prepared for farming, and motorized boreholes provided in some locations,” he said.
Arosanyin emphasised that the recent crash in food prices has been a double-edged sword for farmers.
According to him, while President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to reduce food prices have been beneficial for consumers, farmers are struggling to sell their produce at a profit.
He stressed that Faleke’s intervention aimed to address this challenge and support farmers in the state.
“The project has several benefits for the farmers, including training on best agronomic practices, enabling them to improve their productivity and efficiency.
“The beneficiaries receive cash support in addition to inputs to help them to overcome financial challenges, and demonstration farms to provide farmers with hands-on experience and practical knowledge.
“By providing essential inputs and training, the project aims to help farmers recover from losses and improve their livelihoods,” Arosanyin said.
A beneficiary, Mr Mohammed Haruna from Lokoja LGA, commended the training, saying it has broadened their knowledge of best practices in cassava and fisheries value chains.
Haruna appreciated Faleke’s benevolent support, saying it has improved the well-being and livelihoods of farmers in Kogi State.
Hon. James Faleke, an indigene of Kogi State, is an All Progressive Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, Lagos State.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
