Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has flagged off the distribution of 312 tractors and 100 trucks of fertiliser for sale to farmers across the 27 local government areas of the state.
Flagging off the distribution in Maiduguri on Tuesday, Zulum said the fertiliser would be sold to the farmers at 25 per cent rebate, while those to be given tractors on loan would pay 50 per cent of the market cost.
The governor explained that each of the 312 political wards in the state would be given one tractor and 100 bags of fertiliser to encourage mechanised farming for bumper harvest.
He also revealed that every local government council would be given five tractors to undertake farming for free to farmers who were willing to buy diesel only.
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Zulum said the move was deliberate to add value to the development of agriculture, because more farmlands were expected to be put under use due to the improved security situation in the state.
He further said that the party chairmen and transition council chairmen would monitor the sales and distribution of the farm implements to ensure they got to the right hands, while calling on the farmers to use them strictly for the intended purpose.
