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The Taraba state government has flagged-off the 2022 wet season input distribution which will kick start the distribution of essential farm inputs to farmers in the 2022 wet season as part of Nigeria’s Covid-19 recovery and economic stimulus programme, under the Fadama Taraba CARES.
The flag-off was done by the Executive Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, who was ably represented by his Deputy, Engr. Haruna Manu.
He stressed that since farmers have begun farm preparation for the 2022 wet season, the distribution of these inputs is timely, and the agro materials to be provided will go a long way in complementing what the state government has already put in place for this cropping season and that the early distribution of sufficient farm inputs is a top priority for this administration.
“As an administration, we have prioritized agriculture since inception, having realized that the majority of citizens are involved in some form of farming for both subsistence and commercial purposes.
“We are second to none in the production of rice, sesame, tea, cocoa, root crops like yam, cassava, and cocoyam, as well as grains such as maize, sorghum, millet, and assorted fruits, all due to the early delivery of fertilizer, improved seedlings, and the availability of tractors and other agro-allied inputs.
“Taraba state has the potential to produce beyond its present capacity, and this can be optimized through active collaboration between the state and the federal governments and development partners. I am optimistic that, as a result of the significant progress made so far, more will be accomplished in terms of higher agricultural yields in the coming years.
That the provision of these vital inputs is part of a coordinated response to the social and economic hardship caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, funded by a World Bank loan as a two-year emergency response programme for the poor and vulnerable in society.
He encouraged all beneficiaries of the government’s kind gesture to make optimal utilization of the inputs to expand farmland and, consequently, increase output, and by extension, their standard of living and commended the management of the State Fadama programme for their hard work and consistency in increasing not only agricultural production but also the income of farmers’ cooperatives in the state, which is in line with the Rescue Agenda’s primary goal.
“The Community and Social Development Project CSDP, Special Grant Transfer SGT, and Medium and Small Enterprises MSE are all implementing agencies, and the Fadama III project is one of them.”
“These interventions have not only been well received, but they have also provided much-needed assistance to the less privileged.
Engr. Manu also encouraged Fadama Taraba CARES to step up its efforts to increase farmers’ cultivable land capacity through mechanization and the early provision of necessary inputs like the ones being distributed at this ceremony, stressing that the availability of inputs such as tractors, improved seedlings, and herbicides/pesticides, among others, has significantly reduced the farmer’s reliance on the previously back-breaking, labour-intensive farming practice.
He reassured farmers on government’s will to continue to look out for their best interests when it comes to inputs and markets for their produce, stressing that government is aware of the associated losses and waste that farmers face due to inefficient harvesting and storage methods, which Fadama and other implementing agencies will need to address more aggressively.
Partners were assured of greater collaboration, particularly in counterpart fund commitment and recognition of the state’s enormous achievements to date, which have been attained through such synergies that have transformed Taraba into the country’s top food producer.
