The Federal Government has distributed 30 bags of NPK fertilisers and 20 cartons of herbicides to 60 farmers in Imo.

The Director, Department of Agricultural Extension Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Brooks Michael, supervised the distribution in Owerri on Wednesday.

Michael, represented by Mrs Dorothy Botar, a senior staff member of the ministry, said that each of the farmers would get half of the 50kg bag of fertilisers and four litres of pre and post emergence herbicides.

This, she said, was part of efforts by the Federal Government to ensure increased productivity and food security for Nigerians.

“The aim of this intervention is to increase farmers’ productivity and income as well as make food available to all Nigerians,” he said.

The ministry’s Director in Imo, Mr Chris Iwuchukwu, said the beneficiaries of the agricultural empowerment were drawn from all Local Government Areas of the state and urged the farmers to make judicious use of the inputs.

“The farm inputs are not for sale but for use by the farmers. We expect the beneficiaries to properly apply the inputs on their farms for optimal results,” he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Justina Njoku, a cassava farmer who hails from Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, thanked the Federal Government for the initiative and expressed the hope of increased harvest.

Another farmer, Mr Silas Nwachukwu of Ikeduru Council Area, advised young persons to embrace farming, rather than continue to wait for white collar jobs.

“We can create jobs ourselves through farming and I can confirm that there is money in agriculture,“ he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria