The Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas, HYPPADEC has flagged off distribution of subsidised fertilizers to farmers in five local government areas in Kwara State as part of its efforts to boost food production in the state.
The Managing Director of the commission Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa while speaking at the event held in Ilorin the Kwara state capital said ordinary farmers across local communities in the country have always found it very difficult to get access to efficient and affordable fertilizer, which is one of the reasons why the agricultural sector has degenerated over the years.
He said for this reason, the commission decided to intervene by making quality fertilizer available to farmers at a cheaper rate.
Yelwa said 5,795 bags of the subsidized fertilizer would be sold to farmers in the affected areas of the commission in the state.
“According to him this intervention is not just essential but timely because the rate at which the population is rapidly increasing in our local communities demands that farmers are given unhindered access to fertilizer in order to keep the production of food crops at pace with the ongoing population explosion.
“Fertilizer helps increase the fertility of the soil and makes plants resilient against harmful plant pathogens, pests, and weeds. It also accelerates plant growth. Its significance to agricultural growth can, therefore, not be overemphasized.
“When we started the fertilizer distribution programme last year, we distributed over 50,000 bags of fertilizers to thousands of beneficiaries across our member states.
“In each of the over 1,800 communities of the Commission, not less than 30 bags were distributed to ordinary farmers with an astounding 60% discount.
“This year, the Commission is set out to distribute 42,328 bags of fertilizer (21,118 bags each for NPK and UREA), to not less than 20 beneficiaries in each community of the Commission at the same 60% discount (N10,000 per each bag),” he said.
In his remarks, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq said his administration would redouble efforts at ensuring the dredging of the River Niger was done by the federal government as a last solution to flooding in the riverine areas in the state.
Represented by the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Engr. Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, the governor thanked HYPPADEC for its interest in adequate food production in its catchment area.
By Dare Akogun
