The North East Development Commission (NEDC), has donated some farm inputs which includes rice seedlings, fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and others to small scale farmers in Bauchi state in order to enhance the production capacity of small scale farmers and improve their livelihood in the state.
Speaking during the distribution of the items in Bauchi, the Managing Director of the commission, Mr Mohammed Alkali, said that the distribution of the items was a modest indication of the Commission’s resolve to begin impactful interventions in the Agriculture sector.
“Due to the importance of Agriculture as the mainstay of our economy in the North East, the commit is rolling out it’s in.
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The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has donated some farm inputs which include rice seedlings, fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and others to small scale farmers in Bauchi state in order to enhance the production capacity of small scale farmers and improve their livelihood in the state.
Speaking during the distribution of the items in Bauchi, the Managing Director of the commission, Mr Mohammed Alkali, said that the distribution of the items was a modest indication of the Commission’s resolve to begin impactful interventions in the Agriculture sector.
“Due to the importance of Agriculture as the mainstay of our economy in the North East, the Commission is rolling out its integrated Agriculture programmes involving the provision of Agricultural machinery and equipment, seeds, fertilizers, agro-chemicals and other logistics, to enhance the production capacity of smallholder farmers in the North East and enable them improve their livelihood.
“It is my pleasure to inform you all that we will distribute the following farm inputs for the next farming season today to support Bauchi state smallholder farmers.
“The items are: 1,500 bags of improved rice seeds, 4,500 bags of fertilizer, 315 bottles of herbicides, 150 bottles of fungicides and 1,500 bottles of mancozeb,” he said.
The Commission also donated 24,000 face masks and other personal protective items to schools and other organisations in Bauchi State, so as to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, especially, in the midst of the second wave of the virus.
Other items donated to schools, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Army included hand sanitiser and thermometers.
The Managing Director said that the gesture was in line with the commission’s commitment to complement government effort to curb the spread of the pandemic.
“I am glad to inform you that NEDC is not relenting in taking relevant proactive measures in this regard.
“To this end, we are hereby donating some items to boost personal protection against COVID-19, especially among children in public and private schools, security agencies and NURTW whose members commute thousands of passengers daily in the state.
“The items include 10,000) pieces of branded face masks for public primary schools, 5,000) to private primary schools, 4000) for the military and others, 5000 to NURTW.
“Other items donated include 2000 pieces of hand sanitisers as well as one 100 pieces of infrared thermometers for primary schools,” he said.
The MD further disclosed that the commission would be extending the gesture to the education sector in the state.
He added that NEDC would be given out a total of 10,000 blankets, 60,000 exercise books to public schools and 20,000 exercise books to private schools in the state.
In his response, Gov. Bala Mohammed who lauded the NEDC for the gesture, adding that the improved rice seedlings given to the farmers would impact on farm productions
He pleaded with the Commission to help the state government in the training of extension workers so that the farmers would be more sensitized
