Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has distributed 18,000 bags of fertilizer to farmers across the state.
Speaking at the event held yesterday (Friday, August 16) in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Aiyedatiwa expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for providing various relief materials to support the state.
He announced that the fertilizer would be allocated to the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state, specifying that the distribution includes 5,520 bags of NPK 20-10-10, 4,140 bags of NPK 27-13-13, 4,140 bags of NPK 15-15-15, and 4,200 bags of Urea fertilizer.
Aiyedatiwa emphasized the need for a collective effort in combating hunger, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to ensuring that relief measures reach the intended beneficiaries.
He noted that various factors contribute to the scarcity and high cost of food, including insecurity, lack of financing, poor road infrastructure, climate change, and urbanization.
To address the food crisis, the governor disclosed that his administration recently approved N1 billion for the sale of agricultural inputs and the hiring of tractors for land preparation at a 25 percent subsidized rate for farmers.
Additionally, another N1 billion was allocated for the sale of food commodities at a 25 percent subsidized rate to benefit the state’s residents, adding that the inauguration of a committee on agriculture and food security during the first phase of distributing over 1,200 metric tonnes of maize to livestock farmers across the state, was also part of effort by his government to boost food production in Ondo State.
He said that the distribution of maize distribution helped lower the prices of livestock products in the market at that time.
In the second phase, 24,000 bags of 25kg Nigerian rice, 14,040 bags of 50kg maize, and 3,440 bags of 25kg garri were distributed across the 18 LGAs. Additional interventions, such as tricycles, tillers, and canoes, were provided to alleviate hunger and offer relief to the population.
These initiatives were jointly funded by the Federal and State governments.
Aiyedatiwa cautioned against the distribution of the fertilizer being influenced by political, religious or ethnic considerations, warning that the process must be fair, transparent and equitable across all 18 LGAs, and that the fertilizer is not for sale.
Mr. Rotimi Wemimo, Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture and Agribusiness in the state, assured that a transparent process would be put in place to ensure that the fertilizer reaches the intended beneficiaries and is effectively used.
Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association in the State, Mr. Ayodele Olamide, expressed appreciation to the Governor for his support, while Chairman of the Cassava Growers Association, Mr. Oloruntoba Olufemi, noted that the fertilizer distribution came at a critical time and would greatly enhance their farming operations.
