Mr Simon Abua, Special Adviser to Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue on Agribusiness, on Wednesday assured farmers of distribution of farm inputs before the commencement of this year’s cropping season.
Abua, who gave the assurance while responding to journalists’ questions in Makurdi, said that the inputs would be distributed to farmers before April.
“The move is to enable farmers to have bumper harvest; I, therefore, want to encourage our farmers to form cooperative societies in order to benefit from the good intentions of the government.
“It is only by forming cooperative societies that the farmers can benefit from government loans when the exercise commences.
“Government will only deal with cooperatives and not individuals, regardless of their social status,’’ he said.
Abua said that the state government would not renege on its promise of providing different agricultural machines for farmers as a way of encouraging the citizens to take to agriculture.
He said that the government had engaged local fabricators to manufacture various kinds of machines, which would be sold to farmers at subsidised rates.
“This will also go a long way to encourage local producers of agricultural implements and create jobs,’’ he added. (NAN)
DND/KOLE/OOK