President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday announced an intervention fund to the tune of N14 billion to boost farming during dry season.
He disclosed this when he launched the 2014 dry season farming at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.
According to him, N9 million was approved to support the dry season farmers last year, stressing the determination of his administration to continue to boost the agriculture sector.
He also assured farmers that his administration will ensure that the dry season food support programme in Nigeria becomes a national food policy.
“Our resolve to expand this dry season programme is strong and subsequently it has to come up in October so that they will get what they need before the commencement of the dry season.
“To demonstrate this, I am today announcing N14 billion to support dry seasoning farming for 2014 season. Last year it was N9 billion, this year is 14 billion and as more states come on board we will continue to increase the amount of money”.
“We will continue to work with farmers and that is why I am announcing today that the support will become a national policy. Our nation shall be green our barns shall be filled and our farmers shall prosper”.
He however advised the ministry of agriculture to move the launch of the dry season farming up to October or November as January is a bit late.
“As a nation, we must feed ourselves. A giant that cannot feed herself of course the weight of the giant will crush the weak legs if there is no food” he said.
The President Jonathan noted that contrary to insinuation that the country is suffering from food crisis, the Growth Enhancement Programme (GES) already indicated that about 1million genuine farmers had already harvested their crops before the 2012 floods.
The President also said, “High yielding seeds of rice including those that would tolerate flood as well as fertilizers that are provided free of charge to over 257,000 farmers in 10 leading rice producing states in the north, namely Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kogi and Niger states.
“Our farmers showed reliance, our food production from the impact of the flood I am happy and proud of farmers, they set a record by producing one million metric tons of paddy rice within one dry season. In total and across the country, our farmers produced additional 15 million metric tons of food within two years and this is how it should be, this is the way to go.
“We no longer treat agriculture as a development programme, we now talk about wealth creation not poverty alleviation. We have changed our approach and that is why we are here today”.
Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adeshina explained that the N14billion approved by the President will be used to massively support the dry season procurement and cultivation of rice, wheat, sorghum, millet and groundnut in the North.
According to him, 114 mil seedlings of improved cocoa varieties, 9mil sprouted nuts of palms, have been procured to be given to farmers free of charge.
The launch was attended by Governors, ministers, top government functionaries and stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
