In a concerted effort to arrest the food crisis rocking the country, especially the Northern Region, Kebbi State government has procured 210 trucks of fertilizer to aid farming this rainy season.
The effort is part of concerns to curb food insufficiency and general hardships being experienced by the citizens.
Governor Nasir Idris, who announced the new move in Birnin-Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, said that the 210 trucks of fertilizer would be made available to peasant farmers in the rural areas at no cost.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, Governor Idris said that no fewer than 48,000 peasant farmers have been targeted to have the fertilizer to aid their farming capacities.
According to the statement, the fertilizer would be transmitted to the local farmers in their respective villages and communities along with other agricultural inputs.
The move to combat the food crisis headlong was said to have been made public by the governor at the launching of agricultural inputs by the State COVID 19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus, Kebbi State Cares Coordinating Unit.
The exercise is said to be under the State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fadama III Implementing Unit
Gov. Idris pointed out that the effort was part of his decision not to leave any farmer or group of farmers behind in their farming work.
According to the statement, 100 trucks of assorted fertiliser would be distributed to the people of the state free, while another 110 trucks of fertiliser would also be channeled to Local Government Areas in the state also free-of-charge.
The governor charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the inputs for mass food production to ensure food sufficiency at the end of the rainy season of the year.
The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Abba Sani-Kalgo was said to have highlighted the importance of the programme and commended the governor for the support and assistance to the ministry and generality of farmers in the state.