By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
Kaduna State Chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has commended the Federal Government for its National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS –AP) initiative, which it said, has made a significant impact on Wheat farmers.
Alhaji Nuhu Aminu, Chairman Kaduna State Chapter of the association who made the commendation during an on the spot assessment visit to wheat farms in Zaria and Samaru Kataf, said, NAGS-AP targets small holder farmers, thereby improving food production.
He urged government to sustain and upscale the initiative to strengthen food security and job creation among the people.
AFAN Chairman also said, the NAGS-AP inputs distributed to the wheat farmers have indicated a promising result in wheat production in the country.
According to him, this initiative by the Federal Government to subsidise dry season wheat farming inputs by 50 per cent under its National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS –AP) initiative is a welcome development.
It would be recalled that for dry season wheat farming, a beneficiary is required to deposit N180,500, representing 50 per cent of the total cost of the inputs to qualify for the subsidy.
Aminu said over 90 per cent of the beneficiaries have redeemed their inputs and planted the wheat as the government’s intervention has greatly augmented their personnel efforts.
He said the scheme will encourage smallholder farmers to key into the initiative easily, while urging the federal government to work closely with state governments towards ensuring that genuine farmers are registered as beneficiaries.
The chairman said the initiative is in line with the yearnings of the association on empowering small holder farmers who are the largest producers of food in Nigeria.
Some farmers interviews, said NAGS–AP has prevented them from becoming debtors and other exploitation experienced during the Anchor Borrowers Scheme.
They added that the initiative has linked farmers with genuine improved seeds and other inputs and also a simultaneous relationship between the agro-dealers and farmers.
