By Chinedum Treasure
Anambra State Committee On National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AG) has appealed to federal government to activate approved redemption centres across the NAGS-AP programme for effective distribution of inputs to beneficiary farmers.
Under the programme being implemented through the ATAPS-1 project of the federal government, Farmers will be supported with fertilizers, seeds and agrochemicals with a view to increasing their productivities.
We gathered that in the state,the key objective is to increase the production of maize,rice and cassava through the provision of subsidized inputs to already profiled 2,580 farmers.
Rising from an engagement meeting with Agro-Dealers/Input Providers at the ADP Hall, Ministry of Agriculture, Awka, it noted with dissatisfaction that out of 10 redemption centres in the state,only three centres had been activated to attend to beneficiary farmers.
It highlighted that the initiative aimed to boost food security by encouraging farmers to access inputs as and when due could suffer a set back if loose ends were not tightened.
At the meeting, Commissioner For Agriculture, Dr Forster Ihejiofor, while acknowledging the seemingly challenges, assured of state government’s commitment to ensure that farmers in the state benefitted from the programme.
“Government will liase with relevant authorities to ensure activation of approved redemption centres which are yet to reach their full potentials in the state,” he said.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Ifeyinwa Uzoka, pointed out that the meeting was convened to share progress made so far, interact with stakeholders, identify their challenges and proffer solutions.
State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Arthur Mbuba, called for sustained intervention measures to put the programme back on track to achieve expected result in the state.
Some of Agro Inputs Dealers engaged by NAGS-AP in delivering farm inputs to farmers, including Sir Emma Obi and Sir Paul Egwuatu affirmed their readiness to supply fertilizers,seeds and agrochemicals to the beneficiary farmers at the redemption centres.
The redemption centres are located in Ogbaru, Orumba South, Orumba South, Anyamelum, Dunukofia and Awka South local government areas.
