Dry season farming: FMARD distributes rice seeds to Lagos farmers



The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Thursday said it had begun distribution of rice seeds to farmers in Lagos State for dry season farming.
The state Director of the ministry, Mrs Olufunmilola Olusanya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the distribution was being done under the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS).

Olusanya said that some farmers had been contacted via text messages to visit any of the three redemption centres in the state, including Imota near Epe.

“The GESS scheme for dry season farming rolled out last week, and some farmers have been contacted through texts to go to any of the three centres in the state to collect rice seeds.

“The scheme is not only for rice farmers; it will cut across other dry season crops,’’ she said.

The director said that 25kg bags of rice seeds and fertilisers would be given to farmers to mitigate their costs of production.
Mr Temitope Odetola, President, Association for Youths Unity in Agriculture, told NAN that he received a phone call from the ministry, requesting that he should send contact information on the association’s members.
Odetola expressed satisfaction at the development, saying that the gesture would help farmers to prepare adequately for dry season.
“Some of my members have called me to say that they got text messages for them to go to Imota for the seeds and fertilisers.

“We are happy that the GESS is back, and we hope that all farmers will benefit this time around,’’ he said.

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