The Enugu State Government on friday distributed quality agricultural inputs for dry season farming to two thousand poor and vulnerable farmers in the rural areas, under the World Bank-Assisted CARES Programme.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo during the flag-off of the distribution exercise at Michael Okpara Square stated that the intervention was aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, employment generation and stimulation of rural economy.
The agricultural inputs distributed ranges from cassava stems, rice seeds, fertilizer and herbicides.
“Distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers was informed by a key pillar of the CARES programme which recommends support to farmers with quality farm inputs such as high yielding seed varieties in order to ensure sustainability of food production as well as livelihoods of farming families,” Ezeilo disclosed.
“The improved inputs for distribution in this event were acquired by the state government in line with the recommendation of the State CARES Committee that the agricultural inputs intervention targets agriculture value chains in which the state has comparative advantage, namely rice farming and cassava farming,” the Deputy Governor further explained.
“This exercise will be replicated in the other two senatorial districts,” Mrs. Ezeilo added.
Earlier in his remarks, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Matthew Idu, pointed out that the exercise aims to increase food production and a measure to address the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Idu therefore urged the agriculture supervisors to ensure maximum utilization of the inputs, warning against selling of the products.
Dignitaries present at the event are Sam Ngene, Chairman House Committee on Health and Agriculture; Prof. Uche Eze, Commissioner for Education; Mathias Ekweremadu (Jnr.) Commissioner for Transport and the SPA on Agriculture, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, amongst others.
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