Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Stephen Idehenre, has assured the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Edo State chapter of government’s support towards farmers in the state.
Giving the assurance when he held a meeting with the executive members of the Association in his office at the Agriculture Hub in Benin City, Edo State, the Commissioner disclosed that the Ministry is in collaboration with the local government areas for land preparation and development for farmers to farm, urging the Association to eschew the political crisis in the Association and organise themselves so as to get support for farming from the government.
Hon. Idehenre further stressed on the need for the Association to furnish the Ministry with a database of its members to enable government provide support for the farmers, adding that the state government will soon commence the programme on Small Holder Farmers Initiative for the first 4,000 hectares of land, where government will engage young men and women to farm, with the land developed, prepared, and farm input such as seedings, chemicals and fertilizers supplied to farmers for the purpose of farming, with adequate provisions for offtakers.
The Commissioner therefore assured the Association of the Ministry’s support, stating that his office is always open for farmers.
Earlier, the deputy chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Edo State chapter, Chief Amadin Osayande, thanked the Commissioner for receiving them and applauded the state government for its giant strides in agricultural transformation.
Chief Osayande who sued for a collaboration between the Association and the Ministry further explained that they were in the office of the Commissioner to solicit for government’s support in the provision of farm equipment and input such as: farm land clearing aids, chemicals and fertilizers to enable them farm in the year’s planting season, while disclosing that the Association’s crisis had been resolved, with no factions.
