By Juliet Ekwenugo, Kaduna
Farmers in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have hailed Governor Uba Sani for providing them with free fertiliser, saying the intervention will ease the burden of farming and enable them to return to their farmlands.
One of the beneficiaries, Bitrus Shanono, expressed appreciation for the intervention, saying the fertiliser would provide much-needed support to farmers during the current farming season.
Another beneficiary, Garba Abbas, also commended the initiative, saying the fertiliser would assist farmers in their cultivation efforts.
The fertiliser distribution exercise in Kajuru is targeted at 1,880 beneficiaries, with each beneficiary receiving two bags, bringing the total allocation to 3,760 bags of fertiliser.
Speaking on the exercise, the Executive Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Hon. Dauda Madaki, said the process was designed to ensure that the fertiliser reached genuine beneficiaries.
Madaki explained that beneficiaries were required to report to designated distribution centres after receiving notification, where their identities were verified before collection.
He said the verification process included the use of identification details such as the National Identification Number (NIN), while beneficiaries’ photographs and other relevant data were also captured.
According to him, the arrangement was aimed at preventing impersonation, diversion and unauthorised collection of the farm inputs.
Madaki said the exercise was also being monitored at the community level, with councillors, community leaders, traditional representatives and relevant government officials participating in the process.
He added that security agencies were also present during the exercise as part of efforts to ensure an orderly and transparent distribution.
The executive chairman said the involvement of stakeholders would strengthen accountability and help ensure that the agricultural intervention reached the intended beneficiaries.
He said the community-based verification process would also help to ensure that the fertiliser was collected by farmers whose names appeared on the approved lists.
For the beneficiaries, the intervention comes at a time when the cost of agricultural inputs remains a major challenge for farmers.
Shanono and Abbas said the fertiliser support would help them and other beneficiaries continue with cultivation during the current farming season.
The intervention is expected to support agricultural activities in Kajuru and contribute to improved food production as farmers prepare for the harvest season.
