The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), says it has started the distribution of 286 trucks of fertiliser to farmers affected by flood and herders/farmers crises in Benue.
Mr Eugene Nyelong, the Zonal Coordinator, North Central Zone, NEMA told the newsmen in Makurdi on Thursday that over 23, 000 farmers had benefited from the ongoing Federal Government Agricultural Intervention Programme in the state so far.
Nyelong said that the agency started the intervention with the enumeration of the affected farmers by flood and the herders/farmers crises before the distribution of farm inputs across the state.
He said that all the enumerated farmers from the 23 local governments in the state would benefit from the fertiliser distribution.
According to him, 105 trucks of fertilisers are ready for direct distribution to the beneficiaries.
“We first carried out enumeration of the affected farmers in the two thematic areas of the intervention, flood and herders/farmers crises.
“We got over 23,000 farmers from the exercise and distributed farm inputs to them and their farms are doing very well.
“Now is the distribution of fertilisers, Benue is to receive a total of 286 trucks of fertilisers in all, but for now we have received 105 trucks that are ready for distribution.”
Nyelong said that each truck of fertilisers consist of 600 bags.
He commended the state government and SEMA for their collaboration in terms of human capacity, provision of vehicles and public enlightenment.
He said that the state needed proper coordination of affected farmers from the local communities for effective intervention.
He said many farmers in Benue on several occasions commended NEMA and the Federal Government for being diligent in reaching out directly to them without short changing them.(NAN)
