Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said that about 10,000 verified farmers would benefit from the state’s agricultural input subsidy scheme. The initiative is part of efforts to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic. AbdulRazaq said the gesture would assist the affected farmers to have access to various inputs at 50 per cent market price in order to align with the state’s strategic plan for food security and sustainable development. Speaking at the official flag-off the scheme in Ilorin on Wednesday, the governor said the intervention became necessary in order to compensate the farmers for their loss, due to the pandemic that affected the last farming season as well as to boost food production in the state. He said, “This subsidy scheme gives our farmers easy access to certified seeds, assorted fertilisers and herbicides for the 2021 planting season at 50 per cent market price.” AbdulRazaq stressed that, “This initiative is part of the administration’s sustained efforts to use agriculture to drive economic growth and food security in the post Covid-19 pandemic era. “I assure you that mechanisms have been put in place, especially reliable data, to ensure that these inputs get only to the intended farmers.

THISDAY