As part of efforts to boost food production, the Federal Government has empowered farmers in Edo with 18,000 bags of fertilisers to enhance their production for the 2024 farming seasons.

Mr Bako Dogwo, the State chairman of All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin during a meeting with members of the association.

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Dogwo said that the 18,000 bags, equivalent to 30 trucks, were out of the 1,652 million bags meant for farmers across the country.

The Federal Government, the AFAN chairman said, had paid over 80 per cent of its counterpart fund, while the farmers would pay at least 10 per cent of the cost of the fertilisers.

“The Federal Government is bringing so many inputs to Edo State. They are bringing fertilisers and it has paid 80 per cent of the cost of the fertiliser.

“It is supposed to be counterpart funding, but our state government, I can’t say why it has not paid its share of the fund.

“But it is now left for we, farmers, to pay at least 10 per cent to get the fertiliser, if it comes to the state. For example, if the cost of fertiliser is N20,000 we are going to buy it with N10,000.

“Also, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has just approved another fertiliser that will also come to the state, along with chemicals, inputs such as cassava stems, maize and rice for planting,” he said.

Dogwo said the fertiliser was only meant for the actual farmers and not “portfolio farmers”.

“The Federal Government is very serious for every farmer to benefit from its programmes. We are talking about the real farmers and not portfolio farmers.

“Members of AFAN are all genuine farmers and that was why we refused anyone to say that they are profiling farmers in the state. You cannot profile farmers. It is we that know who is a farmer and where such person farms,” he added.

Dogwo, who said the association was made up of more than 40,000 registered farmers, however, encouraged those that were yet to join the association to do so, noting that a time would come when it would cost much to be registered as a member.

He also urged members to encourage women to join any of the association’s affiliates, adding that it would provide them the opportunity to be taught all farming techniques and benefit from inputs and other intervention programmes.