By Abubakar Yunusa
The Edo state government as part of efforts to boost security and promote dry season farming has distributed irrigation equipment and assets to 2,078 Small Holder Farmers (SHFs).
Stephen Idehenre, commissioner of Agriculture and Food Security flagged off the distribution of the equipment to the benefitting farmers drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state in Benin City.
Idehenre said the empowerment were part of the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES).
He said the facilities are funded by the World Bank, federal government and the Edo State Government.
The commissioner said the equipment was distributed under the FADAMA Edo CARES window.
He said the distribution of the irrigation equipment and agricultural assets was geared towards revolutionalizing agricultural sector as well as support irrigation all round farming in the state.
The commissioner, also disclosed that a total of 1,832 farmers had earlier benefited from the same programme in the state.
Idehenre added that the farmers are being empowered with agricultural inputs, small irrigation equipment and assets.
He said 14 persons were empowered with Solar Irrigation Pump, 436 persons were given 218 pumps while some poultry farmers from Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba Okha and Uhunmwonde local governments benefitted from feather-picking machines.
Earlier, Edward Izevbigie, Edo State coordinator of FADAMA project, who congratulated the beneficiaries, however, urged them to make use of the facilities to improve on their farming activities as well as their financial wellbeing.
In an interview some of the beneficiaries which include Kanabe Ahmed, tomato farmer, Osagie John Imohimi, a poultry farmer commended the federal and state government for the empowerment.
They opined that the equipment will go a long way in boosting the productivity of their farms as well as stress associated with manual farming activities they were hitherto. They assured that they will use the equipment judiciously.
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