Kwara govt says will adopt community-based fertiliser distribution approach
The Kwara State Government is set to commence the statewide distribution of assorted fertilisers to farmers through community organisations, according to Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Development.
The community-based distribution method aligns with recommendations from the recently concluded Kwara Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) Summit, which was held across the state’s three senatorial districts.
Dr. Olohungbebe highlighted Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s commitment to inclusive governance, noting that the Governor approved the community-led distribution of fertilisers provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
In his statement he said “Governor AbdulRazaq has, again, demonstrated his commitment to genuine citizen engagement and participation in decision-making process by approving that the assorted brands of the fertilisers donated by the Central Bank of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security be distributed using a community-led approach,”
Olohungbebe further said “The governor should also be applauded for showing a keen interest in reviewing feedbacks as contained in the summit report, and for his approval of the implementation of some of the recommendations made by the participants on strategies for improving service delivery and good.”
To ensure effective distribution at the grassroots level, the state government has established a committee in each local government area.
The committees include Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs), Community Development Officers (CDOs), representatives of community leaders, CBOs, Community Development Councils (CDCs), civil societies, people living with disabilities (PLWD), and religious groups such as the Jamaatul Nasirul Islam (JNI) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The summit report recommended the reintroduction of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and the employment of more farm extension workers to collaborate with CBOs for improved impact.
The participants urged the government to continue using a community-based approach in future farm input distributions to ensure better penetration at the grassroots level.
