The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammed Abubakar, said the ministry has designed a programme to cushion the effects of ravaging flood across states.
Speaking at the International Farmers day celebration in Abuja on Wednesday, he said the federal government is planning modalities to give farmers farming equipment at a subsized rate.
He added that the ministry is collaborating with commodity associations because the needs of a particular commodity may be different from the other.
“The Ministry has designed a programme where farmers can be supported with equipment with high subsidy. It is also our pleasure to see that we are collaborating with commodity associations because the needs of a particular commodity may be different from the other,” he said.
“It is also interesting to know that all the equipment that for processing are readily available with the ministry in due course we will announce how it will be accessed by all Farmers. It is also possible for association to indicate what they want so that if it is not available, it can be provided for in the subsequent years to come.”
Also speaking, the National President of AFAN, Mr. Farouk Mudi, said despite the myriads of challenges farmers faced during the recent raining season of flooding and loss of farm produce, Nigerian farmers still extend gestures to distribute free foodstuffs to people as a sign of thanksgiving to The Almighty God.
Mudi reeled out the achievements of the association in recent times to include securing of a national office secretariat, and streamlining of all state chapters adding that over 90% of the local government and ward structures are so far being streamlined
too, among others.
The AFAN boss said: “Farmers’ Day is here to stay, as we celebrate, despite the myriads of challenges farmers faced during the recent raining season of flooding and loss of farm produce, Nigerian farmers still extend our gesture to distribute free foodstuffs to our brothers and sisters as a sign of thanksgiving to The Almighty God for what we were able to harvest.
“Over 90% of the local government and ward structures are so far being streamlined too and over 150 mechanization, agro-allied companies and financial institutions are in partnership with AFAN towards the development of agro-business strategies.
“AFAN have partnership with 2 HMOs to provide farmers with Health Insurance
scheme; Provision of CUG platform for farmers through 9Mobile across the country is ongoing; AFAN is unveiling its own customized mobile handsets in partnership with Tingo Mobile, we wish to thank Tingo Mobile for all the financial support given to us to organize this event, ~ Partnership with Tingo Mobile for the provision of private credit facility to farmers on crop production is ongoing,” he further stated.