Stay Away From Our Agric Programmes, Niger Govt Warns Non-Farmers

The Niger State Government has launched an initiative to supply farmers with agricultural inputs for dry season farming, aimed at boosting food supply using GPS coordination.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Musa Bawa Bosso, stated that applicants must provide accurate and verifiable details, including name, gender, date of birth, phone number, and identification.

He disclosed this during a town hall meeting in preparation for the 2024/2025 dry season farming.

The agricultural revolution focuses on grassroots interventions, with eligible farmers receiving inputs like fertilizers and seeds, provided they register, join cooperatives, and submit GPS coordinates.

He said, “Farmers will receive support to cultivate rice, maize, and vegetables, repayable with harvested produce or low-interest credit, but they must form cooperatives to benefit.”

The Executive Director, Niger Foods Security Systems and Logistics Company Limited, Mrs Patience Koku assured farmers of the necessary backing to revolutionize agriculture.

Recalling the challenges of the last dry season, Koku highlighted a loss of N300m due to dishonest participants.

She said, “Despite mechanizing 2,000 hectares, fewer than 300 farmers participated, and Niger Foods incurred losses as farmers absconded with solar pumps provided to them.”

The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Matthew Ahmed, urged farmers to inform their peers about the initiative and called on council chairmen to lead the project and ensure only genuine farmers benefit.