The Kwara State administration in Nigeria has launched a new round of agricultural support, providing inputs and machinery to 49,337 local farmers. Premium Times reported that this latest phase brings the cumulative number of recipients under the FADAMA CARES scheme to 235,567. The effort operates within the FADAMA CARES 2.0 framework, which forms the agricultural arm of the World Bank-funded Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus project.
Mashood Agboola, serving as deputy chief press secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, outlined these figures in a statement released on Monday. The government noted that 186,230 individuals had previously received aid, with the current batch adding nearly 50,000 more to the total. A slight numerical variance appeared in the reporting, as Governor AbdulRazaq cited a projected cumulative figure of 235,556, eleven fewer than the sum derived from the specific breakdowns provided by the press office.
During the launch event in Ilorin, Governor AbdulRazaq highlighted obstacles such as rising input prices, erratic weather, and limited processing tools. He stated that the goal is to eliminate these hurdles so that agricultural work becomes more profitable. The current package covers seeds and supplies for rice, maize, and soybean crops, alongside assets like sprayers, pumps, tillers, and boats. The governor encouraged recipients to treat these items as capital investments rather than temporary gifts, aiming to boost output and market reach.
Olohuntoyosi Thomas, the livestock commissioner overseeing agricultural development, added that the state has placed 48 tractors and two Caterpillar bulldozers across its 16 local government areas to aid mechanization. She further noted that 2,016 farmers obtained 8,064 bags of NPK fertiliser via the federal Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme. Hauwa Nuru, the finance commissioner, described the initiative as a commitment to enhancing food security and regional economic growth.