Enugu Farmers Expect Abundant Yields After Govt’s Intervention

Farmers in Enugu State, under the aegis of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Monday, commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration for its support for the agricultural sector despite challenges posed by the outbreak of Covid-19.

Among the strides of the governor, according to the farmers, include the provision of seed inputs, infrastructure and mechanization for over 11,000 farmers under the FADAMA III additional finance, and the provision of basic inputs, empowerment of over 700 commercial farmers and cooperatives through the Commercial Agricultural Development Programme (CADP).

Other interventions, according to the farmers, include the complete profiling and listing of 1, 700 farmers and farmers’ cooperatives under the Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelyhood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS) soon to commence pre-disbursement training, and the provision of intervention funds in support of the agricultural development in rice and cassava production in five local government areas of Aninri, Nkanu East, Isi-Uzo, Enugu East and Udenu, under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The farmers stated this when they visited the state commissioner for agriculture, Hon Matthew Idu.

Their chairman, Chief Romanus A. Ezeh, added that, “We applaud the state government for the provision of critical infrastructure and development of agricultural productivity in rice, cassava and sorghum in counterpart with the African Development Bank through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme I (ATAPS1), the provision of farm inputs, fertilizers, improved seeds and agro-chemicals to over 2000 rice and cassava farmers under the Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES).”

Some of the farmers interviewed said they were getting set ahead of the 2021 farming season, and expressed optimism that the season would be favourable with the support they enjoy from the state government.