Kwara govt to support farmers affected by COVID-19 pandemic
The Kwara State Government has said it intends to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic life of the poor and vulnerable by giving succour to farmers whose farming and agroprocessing activities have been disrupted by the virus.
The agricultural programme tagged Fadama NG-CARES (Nigeria Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus) programme is meant for the poor and vulnerable farmers with priority for women and youths, stressing that the packages to be delivered are in inputs and assets, the State Project Coordinator, Engr. Dr. Busari Toyin Isiska disclosed.
He explained that each crop farmer needs to have 0.1 – 0.5 hectare of land to plant rice, maize or soyabeans, while each intending poultry farmer must have a poultry pen to accommodate Hundred (100) birds.
Engr. Dr. Busari also revealed that each beneficiary interested in raising fish must have a pond to culture Two Hundred (200) fingerlings, and the livestock farmer must get a space for four or five sheep or goats respectively.
He added that there is an opportunity for farmer interested in small agroprocessing.
He enjoined the intending beneficiaries to form groups of tens, with at least four women in each group, urging the prospective beneficiaries to register with the Local Government of their farm locations.
