Nasarawa govt. urges farmers to go into yam cultivation to boost earnings

The Nasarawa State has advised farmers in the state to engage in yam cultivation to boost their earnings.

The Commissioner for Finance, Mr Ayuba Ayinaje, gave the advice on Wednesday during the distribution of fertilisers to farmers in Nasarawa Toto, Toto Local Government Area (LGA).

Ayinaje, who is the Chairman, Fertilisers Distribution Committee of Toto LGA, also urged the farmers to make judicious use of the fertilisers to boost their productivity.

“Gov. Al-Makura is doing his best to boost agricultural production in the state through good policies in order to fight hunger, poverty and ensure food security in the state.

“The state government will not spare anyone trying to sabotage the good efforts of the government by selling fertiliser above the approved price of N4,000 per bag.

“The state government has subsidised the product in order to reduce the hardship being faced by farmers in the state,” he said.

While reiterating government’s commitment to initiating more agricultural policies, the commissioner called on the people to embrace farming as part of their contributions to the development of the state.

Also speaking, Mr Mohammed Musa, the Interim Management Committee Chairman of Toto Local Government Council, lauded the Al-Makura- administration for the initiative.

Musa expressed the hope that the distribution of fertilisers would ensure bumper harvests in the 2017 cropping season.

Some of the farmers, who spoke to our reporter at the venue, commended the state government for the policy and called for its sustenance.

Recall that Gov. Al-Makura, on July 5 initiated the sale of fertilisers to farmers at a subsidised rate of N4,000 per bag in Jenkwe, Obi Local Government Area.

It was reported that Al-Makura then disclosed that his administration would spend N1 billion to procure 10,000 tonnes of fertilisers for the 2017 cropping season.