FG ENGAGES 2,779 FARMERS IN AGRIC INTERVENTION PROGRAM IN DELTA

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Over 2,000 farmers affected by the 2018 flood in Delta state have keyed into the Emergency Agricultural Intervention Programme of the Federal Government.

The programme, which was designed and coordinated by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was targeted at achieving National Food Security in line with the objective of the Committee on Food Security.

The Supervisor in charge of the Agricultural Intervention Programme of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, in Delta state, Mr Chidi Ogundu, who was on an inspection and assessment visit to some of the farms on Thursday in Oko communities near Asaba, said a total of 3,102 hectares of farmlands were affected by the 2018 flood in the state.

Mr Ogundu said the flood affected farmlands cut across 16 local government areas in the state, adding that no fewer than 2,779 farmers were expected to benefit from the Agricultural Intervention Programme.

The impacted Local Government Areas include Oshimili South, Oshimili North, Aniocha South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Isoko North and Isoko South.

Others are Patani, Udu, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Bomadi, Burutu, Warri South, Warri South West and Warri North local government areas.

The supervisor said to ensure the success of the programme, NEMA was collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the state Ministry of Agriculture in the enumeration of the affected farmers and verification of the farmlands.

Ogundu explained that the enumeration exercise started on April 19, 2019, after which farm inputs such as yam seedlings, vegetable seeds, cassava stems, plantain suckers, agro-chemicals and sprayers were distributed to the farmers.

He noted that the team experienced some challenges in the implementation of the project in some parts of the state due to difficult terrain, though the farmers gave their full support.

The supervisor said the project was largely successful in Delta state.

Some of the farmers who spoke, including Mrs Onyinye Oduah and Mr Ogbeh Okelue, expressed delight and commended the federal government for the intervention.

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