Yobe Government has distributed tractors for free to some farmers and farmers associations under its Agriculture Empowerment Programme.
Hajiya Aishatu Tijjani, Spokesperson, Yobe State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, made this known in Damaturu.
According to her, the beneficiaries of the Massey Ferguson 375 tractors include the state’s chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), AMFAZAT Farms, FA’IZA Farms and RAISA Farms.
She said the ministry would also distribute bags of NPK fertiliser to farmers at 50 per cent discount as approved by Gov. Mai Mala Buni of the state.
Tijjani said allocation letters for the fertiliser were handed over to the beneficiaries, including some farmers under the aegis of Retired Permanent Secretaries Forum, which would receive 600 bags.
The spokesperson urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the farm inputs to increase their yields and earn a living.
In reaction, Alhaji Usman Ngari, Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Yobe Chapter, confirmed receipt of one tractor by the association from the ministry.
He said that deliberations on how best to put the tractor to use by the association would be concluded before the next cropping season.
Ngari also confirmed that many farmers across the state received free hand machinery including ploughs, tillers, threshers, sprayers, planters and irrigation pumps under the programme.
“I can confirm to you that the beneficiaries are known farmers in Yobe, who were selected by a committee earlier constituted across 17 local government areas.
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“Each committee had an AFAN representative in the selection process. So non-farmers couldn’t have been selected,” the chairman said.
Ngari also said the ministry had sold NPK fertiliser to the farmers at a discounted rate of N25,000 per bag.
On drop in prices of grains in the state, he described the situation as a welcome development.
“By this time last year, a bag of sorghum was sold at N100,000. It is now going for about N26,000 in the market.
“However, there is a need for government at all levels to ensure that prices of other food items also drop otherwise the prices of grains may soar again,” he said. (NAN)