Kwara subsidizes inputs for 10,000 farmers, to partner Lagos on rice production

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has launched an agricultural input subsidy scheme that will give 10,000 farmers access to various inputs at 50 percent market price.

Speaking at the launch in Ilorin, Governor AbdulRahman told farmers that the intervention became necessary to compensate their losses during COVID-19 pandemic last year and to boost food production in the state.

“This subsidy scheme gives our farmers easy access to certified seeds, assorted fertilisers and herbicides for the 2021 planting season at 50% market price,’’ he said.

The governor said the state was also working out a partnership with the Lagos State government on rice production which may amount to roughly N10bn investments over the next four years.

“We have the land. We are negotiating with some states, especially Lagos. Lagos State has, arguably, the biggest rice mill in Nigeria today, but they don’t have land. We want to take advantage of that and we are talking in that direction to reach an agreement,’’ he said.