The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has commenced the distribution of fertiliser to 6,000 wheat farmers across various clusters including Alkamawa village of Bunkure local government area, Kano State.
Addressing newsmen at the launching ceremony of subsidised fertiliser distribution at Alkamawa II, the state coordinator Food Security of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Isah Isyaku Hotoro stated that the initiative is meant to increase the size of the food basket of the nation.
“This is a special programme that was designed to capture farmers, smallholder farmers, the medium and of course the large-scale farmer in wheat production.
“And it is expected that the productivity per unit area of the farmers will be increased, and the expected returns of the farmers will also be increased.
“At the same time, it is expected that it will add more to the food basket of the country.
“Able farmers, especially the smallholder farmers with an average holding of 0.5 hectares, is expected to benefit with three bags of fertiliser, one bag of 50 kg wheat seed,” he stated.
He explained further that the distribution is expected to cover 3,000 hectares of land.
“Not only Alkamawa, in the special cluster centres, but we also have about 12 in Kano and four here at Alkamawa.
“There are also three at Gaya and Ajingi local government areas. We have two at Gaya local government, and then remaining three at Garoko local government,” he added.
On the rate of the subsidy given by the government to the farmers, the coordinator said they would get a 75% subsidy on three bags of fertilizer and one bag of wheat seed, for which they pay only N111,000 for the package.
A beneficiary, Sudawa Abdullahi of Bunkure local government area said the scheme is timely as it will reduce the importation of wheat into the country by enhancing the food basket of the nation.
“The programme is good, notwithstanding there are backdrop or backlash which we hope the government will address.
“The issue of the timing should be addressed as this is 19th of December but the goods are just being distributed. We want the government to commence the distribution around October for irrigation farming.
“More so we want the government to also support the farmers by buying back the products in addition to the subsidy,” he stated.