From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi
No fewer than 382,208 farmers affected by flood in 2020, across Nigeria will benefits from the free farm inputs provided by the Federal Government .
This was disclosed yesterday at the National flag off of the distribution of the items held at Bulasa in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Delivery his speech, the Kebbi State Governor Senator Atiku Bagudu Abubakar disclosed that the items which includes the assorted seeds, seedlings, pumping machines , agrochemicals, sprayers and other related inputs.
Abubakar, who is also the Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, added that those engaged in livestock production will benefit from the invaluable gesture of the Federal Government through National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Bagudu explained that NEMA assisted by other collaborating partners had already duly registered all the beneficiaries, saying that the President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the Chairman of the Council has approved the provision of insurance covers to the beneficiaries.
“Happily, this is also in the bid to reduce the perennial devastating effects of flood on the economy.
“All the beneficiaries will henceforth be insured hence, they don’t need future support in case of any flood eventualities” he said.
Bagudu further underscored the importance of the insurance covers as they will help to reduce the burden, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated the Federal Ministries of Transport, Water Resources and Environment to come up with a National Drainage Architecture on the control of flooding to prevent threat to food.
He reiterated the commitment of the council to continue to support farmers and other agro allied and food processing industries .
The Governor noted was to further bolster food security in the country as being championed by Buhari .
He also commended the NEMA for being in the forefront in disaster management and mitigation.
Also speaking, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Saadiya Umar Faruk said the important occasion that signifies the commencement of yet another major landmark effort by the Federal Government to further support persons affected by the 2020 flood disaster.
She said the event is a culmination of a follow up commitment to the initial emergency relief items distributed to the affected persons in the aftermath of the 2020 floods.
“ This intervention was approved to provide emergency agricultural inputs specifically to further support farmers that lost their crops as a result of the destruction of their farmlands and the cutting off of access to croplands during the flood disaster.
“The unfortunate flood incident resulted in the displacement of several communities, damage to infrastructure, destruction of crop lands and widespread environmental dislocation.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in response to the incidence activated the NEMA to conduct detailed assessment of the situations and make recommendation for intervention.
“ In consideration of the severe devastation, President Muhammadu Buhari, deployed a high level delegation of Ministers, including my Ministryself, to visit some of the affected states including Kebbi State to commiserate with the people.
“The successful implementation of this intervention is therefore very important in assisting farmers with modern farm inputs and seeds that will support their speedy recovery from the disaster impact,” she added.
According to the Minister , what was witnessed during the visit was quite devastating as large swathes of agricultural investments were lost to the flood waters thereby destroying the livelihoods of the famers and threatening food security.
On his part, the Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Habib Ahmed, commended Governor Bagudu for embarking on the agricultural transformation which facilitated the attainment of self sufficiency in food production in the state and Nigeria at large.
“These are real farmers that toil come rain, come shine to feed the nation, safeguard our national food security and our pride as a people.
“Nigerians are now proud to eat the produce of the Nigerian farmer. Beyond saving foreign exchange for Nigeria, farming is now an illustrious profession, thanks to Mr President,” he stressed.
He described the Green Revolution started by the President Muhammadu Buhari as the catalyst which enabled Nigeria to stop food importation,save foreign exchange and make her citizens eat what has been produced by Nigerian farmers.
