JICA/FMARD INPUT DISTRIBUTION TO SMALL HOLDER RICE FARMERS IN EKITI STATE FOR 2021 WET SEASON FARMING

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has supported 1,500 small holder rice farmers across 10 states in the country with complete production inputs to cultivate one (1) hectare each during the current wet season farminge, out of which Ekiti state is a beneficiary. This is to boost the ongoing effort of the Ministry on its various interventions aimed at alleviating the negative impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and flood on farmers in order to increase rice production in the country. Basically, the aim of the intervention is to enhance food security and to increase farmers’ income and livelihood.
To this end, each of the 150 small holder rice farmers selected in Ekiti state have benefitted the following complete input package to cultivate one (1) hectare of farmland “at no cost”. These includes 50kg bag of certified rice seeds (FARO 44), 4 bags of NPK, 2 bags of Urea, 1 litre of soil amender, 4 litres of pesticidesand 5 litres of pre/post emergence herbicides.

The programme took place from 14th to 15th July, 2021 at the premises of Ekiti State Office of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.