Special Forces and Agro-Rangers to Protect Farms in Plateau State

Sonny Tyoden launching Fertilizer Sales for 2020

The Plateau State Government has announced that Special Forces and Agro-Rangers are to protect farms in Plateau State. This notice was made during the kick-off of the sale of fertilizer and other farm inputs to farmers in the state for year, 2020. The event was held at the Plateau State Ministry of Agriculture’s Warehouse along Bukuru Expressway in Jos South.

The Plateau State Deputy Governor, Professor Sonny Tyoden, who represented Governor Lalong noted that this year, the state awarded a contract for the purchase of sixty thousand bags of 50kg NPK 20.10.10, 45,000 bags of 50kg of Urea, 30 metric tons of maize, 15 metric tons of rice seeds, 7.5 metric tons of cotton seeds and 5250 litres of growth boosters.  He gave prices as follows:

1.     NPK 20:10: 10 at N5000 per bag of 50kg.

2.     Urea at N15000 per bag of 50kg.

3.     Growth boosters at N40, 000 per litre.

4.     Maize seed at N428 and N1605 per 2 kg for different varieties.

5.     Rice seed at N6500 per 25kg bag.

6.     Arewa cotton seed at N4200.

Farmers wishing to purchase any of the inputs are to go to the nearest store in their respective local governments, get allocation papers and pay the equivalent to of what they are purchasing to an agent of Staling Bank at the location. The evidence of payment is then presented to the store keepers who then supply the product.

The governor noted that committees have been assigned to monitor the sales to ensure transparency, warning seriously against any diversion, as there will be dire consequences in cases of violations of the procedures the authorities have outlined.

According to the governor, the administration is working hard to encourage the use of tractors. Currently, the use of tractors in the state is at a dismal ratio of 0.2 tractors per 1000 hectares as against the global standard of 22 tractors per 1000 hectares. His government, he says, is providing a combined subsidy of 40% –30% from the state government and 10% from the local governments – for any farmer wishing to own a tractor.

In March, the authorities procured 1500 irrigation pumps for the purpose of boosting dry-season farming. He referred to the cooperation of his regime with the Lake Chard Research and the Potato Research Institutes that led to the growth of wheat and barley which weren’t grown in the state previously. 

Due to the potential of the grazing reserves in the Southern Zone of the state, the state has been enlisted in the Livestock Resilient Support Project of the World Bank. He also encouraged farmers to join cooperative groups to benefit from a range of loan facilities the Federal The government makes possible through the Central Bank.

The state government, determined to encourage large-scaled agricultural practice, is reacquiring 90% of the ownership of Barc Farms, with the intention of handing it over to a private body with the capacity to use it in large-scale farming efficiently.

The event was hosted by the State Commissioner of Agriculture, Dr Hosea Finangwai with support from his colleague at the Information Ministry, Dan Manjang. There was also the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, who called the government’s attention to the issue of security in farms. Also in attendance was the Chairman of the State Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, and the chairman of the host local government area.

Dr Finangwai noted that the sale started slightly later than it used to due to bottlenecks caused by the incidence of the coronavirus disease. For the same reason, there were a handful of farmers in attendance at the launch. At fertilizer distribution centres, he says, there will be hand-washing/disinfecting facilities, decongestion and insistence on the use of face masks.  

Dr Finangwai voiced his gratitude to the Association of Nigerian Governors, headed by the Plateau State Governor, for their decision to exempt farmers from the lockdown due to the critical nature of their work. According to him, the exemption brought about a reduction in post-harvest losses of perishable farm produce.

Finangwai praised the governor for counterpart funding he has paid to support the Potato Value Chain Program, the Rural Access and Marketing Program (RAAMP). The commissioner further thanked the governor for his unbowed support to improve the process of farm inputs sourcing and sharing for the farmers and the revival of Agricultural Services and Training Centre, ASTC.

The ALGON Chairman announced that, at their own levels, they will be replicating what the state government is doing to help farmers. During the occasion, the chairman of the host local government, Jos South, unveiled a huge painting of the governor.