In a bid to boost their production capacity, the National Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), in collaboration with Alrido Uplifting Limited and Hicoti Consulting Limited, recently empowered farmers in Ife North and East Federal Constituency with seedlings.
During the distribution ceremony held at Ile-Ife, Osun State, as part of the mandate to boost agricultural value chain, NAQS through Hicoti consulting supplied and distributed agricultural inputs such as seeds of soyabeans, maize, melon, groundnut, cassava stems, oil-palm seedlings, yam sets, banana and plantain suckers to Ife North and East federal constituency which are known for production of the aforementioned crops.
The primary occupation of Ife North and East people is agriculture. The town is noted for the production of cassava, maize, yam, plantain and banana.
These crops are rich in vitamins, energy, minerals and protein.
The major limitation to the high yield and diseased-free crop production in the region is lack of quality or improved seedlings.
The farmers were also provided with information on production, time of planting, best management practices, processing and value addition of the aforementioned crops. It was a wonderful moments for the farmers who have been yearning for such opportunity.
Over 120 farmers benefitted from the the programme in Ife North while 80 beneficiaries were drawn from Ife East federal constituency.
The farmers appreciated the National Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) and all stakeholders involved in the distribution of the farm inputs for the good gestures capable of effectively boosting their farm business.
Present at the event were the leader of the constituency, Honourable Taofeek Ajilesoro, representative of Comptroller-General, NAQS, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, the contractor, Mr. Tokunbo Ayekoti, Dr. Yemi Popoola, community leaders and farmers from the federal constituency.