Kogi State Government assures of food security despite COVID-19 threats »

…flag off distribution of FG’s Agricultural inputs to farmers.

The Kogi State Government has assured that it would ensure food security in the state and the country, despite the threats posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Governor gave this assurance on Thursday while flagging off the distribution of the Federal Government’s agricultural inputs to farmers in the State.

The State hosted Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk, Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, Air Vice Marsha A. Muhammed and other dignitaries.

The delegation also had an on the spot assessment of the Conditional Cash Transfer program modalities while they also engaged some of the beneficiaries.

Governor Bello who was represented at the flag off by his Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja noted that the state would continue to give farmers in the state the needed support to ensure continued food production and farming activities.

He lauded the President for matching words with action over the planned diversification of the Nation’s economy by investing in the Agricultural sector.

The Governor assured the Federal Government that the state would ensure that the inputs and other benefits gets to the appropriate quarters.

In his address the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono noted that the Federal Government has made the inputs available to Mitigate the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on small holders farmer who contributes largely to food production in the country.

He asserted that the restriction of movement of both human and goods have greatly affected the production of food hence the need for such initiative.

The Honourable Minister said inputs including fertilizers, insecticides and improved seedlings of very important crops including, cashew, Soya Beans, Sesame, potatoes, maize, cocoa and the likes would be distributed to farmers to help ensure that the country does not experience food shortage post covid-19.

He pointed out that the inputs would be distributed free of charge while the seedlings would be at 75 percent rate noting that this was the first phase of the Ministry’s planned palliatives to the farmers across the country.

Earlier during a courtesy visit to the Governor, the Agriculture Minister affirmed that Kogi was an important agricultural state in the production of Cassava, Maize, Rice, Cashew and other crops.

He said he was proud of the state’s achievements in Agriculture asserting that the state was the center of crop production and agricultural development of the country.

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