Flooding: NEMA Supports 8,781 Farmers in Yobe, A’Ibom

Michael Olugbode in Damaturu and Okon Bassey in Uyo
A total of 6,573 farmers across 11 local government areas of Yobe State are expected to benefit from agricultural intervention by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to support those affected by flood.

Already, NEMA yesterday distributed agricultural inputs to 2, 208 farmers who were victims of the 2020 flood disaster in Akwa Ibom.The intervention from the federal government’s agency in Yobe will be in form of  pumping machines, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer. Officials of NEMA, Yobe State Agricultural Intervention team in collaboration with relevant stakeholders have commenced the distribution of agricultural inputs under the Federal Government Emergency Agricultural Intervention Fund for Farmers affected by 2020 flood  Disaster in Yobe state.

The Principal Information Officer NEMA North East Zone, AbdulKadir Ibrahim,  in statement yesterday said  the Director General, NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Habib, was represented at the ceremony in Fune Local Government Area of Yobe State by the Head of NEMA, Yobe State Agricultural Intervention Team who is the Zonal Coordinator NEMA North East Wagami Madu.Wagami, in her speech at the event explained that the intervention was meant to alleviate the impact of the flood on farming and agricultural activities to boost food security across the country.

Representatives of the Yobe State Government including Executive Secretary, Yobe State Emergency ManagementAgency (YOSEMA), Mohammed Goje and Chairman of Fune Local Government Area, Honourable Babagoni Mustapha-Bade were on ground to witness the distribution.Meanwhile,  Ahmed, at the event  in Uyo said the inputs was part of measures to ensure adequate food production in the country.Ahmed, who was represented by Supervisor, Akwa Ibom Emergency Agricultural Intervention Fund (EAIF) for 2020 Flood Affected Farmers, Mr. Demien Egwu, said Akwa Ibom was one of the states that happened to be affected in the disaster.

“You will recall in 2020, there was massive flood across the country, Akwa Ibom State happened to be one of the states that was affected. The federal government in the bid to sustain food security set up the Food Security Council, and their duty was to ensure that farmers that were affected by that disaster are supported to improve food production in the country.“In line with that, 13 local government areas were chosen to intervene with these agricultural produce in Akwa Ibom State.

We came to do the enumeration and we enumerated 2, 208 farmers for this project. And today, we are here to give the items that the Federal Government provided to the 2, 208 farmers.“It is my pleasure to inform you that the DG of MEMA in the person of Alhaji Mustapha Habib Ahmed, has directed me to inform the farmers that NEMA is going  to provide the following items.

“Items available include; maize seedlings, rice seedlings, fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides, growth enhancers, water pumping machines, Knap sack sprayers and yam seedlings that would be provided later.“The essence of this is to support farmers and encourage the state as well Gov. Udom Emmanuel, who has been driving agricultural project to higher level in the state,” Ahmed said.He said that Akwa Ibom was among the first five states that were investing heavily in agriculture to ensure food sufficiency.

The Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Glory Edet, in her remarks, said that it is through agriculture that poverty could be reduced in the land.Edet said that the state government was not thinking of what the residents would consumed now but what will benefit the state in future.She added that the state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has done a lot in his completion agenda, adding that agriculture is key.

She commended the federal government, for including the state for the distribution of farm inputs  stressing that through quality inputs there would be good output.The commissioner urged the farmers to ensure adequate use of the agricultural inputs and warned them against selling the inputs as it was not consumable.“All the inputs we are giving to you is not for eating, it for planting. Please, don’t sell it, go and plant the seedlings.

If you sell any item and you are caught, you’ll be prosecuted,” Edet said.Responding on behalf the beneficiaries, the state Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Bassey Inwang, assured the federal government that the inputs would be judiciously use by the farmers.Inwang thanked the federal government, NEMA and the state government for the support given to farmers in the state.