The North East Development Commission (NEDC) Through LOBITO group for Asiwaju has donated farm inputs and implements to 4,200 farmers across twenty local government areas of Bauchi State, to boost food security.

Mr Sulaiman Aliyu, representative of the Commission stated this at the inauguration of the distribution of the farm inputs on Sunday in Katagum.

He said the distribution of the items was in line with President Bola Tinubu administration’s efforts at boosting food production to achieve food insecurity in the country.

Aliyu said the commission was collaborating with the LOBITO group and other stakeholders to support the farmers directly, in order to boost dry season farming and rain faith farming.

The items donated include,3-inch water pump, liquid fertilizer, and agrochemicals. Improve seeds of maize and rice.

LOBITO Coordinator in Bauchi, Mr Usman Darazo said the items would be distributed through the LOBITO structures and stakeholders to 4,200 farmers across the state.

Darazo further said the gesture was mainly for grassroots farmers across three senatorial districts of the state through the group respectively, urging the beneficiaries to utilise the items judiciously.

The Coordinator lauded the commission for the gesture, saying that the inputs and implements would impact positively on farming and as well as tackling food security.

The state chairman of LOBITO Group Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Lanzai said the aim is to support farmers to get bumper harvest.

While commending the LOBITO National Chairman Alhaji Yau Darazo for championing the course of farmers in the state Alhaji Abdullahi Lanzai said the present administration under Ahmed Bola Tinibu is committed to achieve the federal government food security programme.

Earlier speaking Contact Persons of Tafawa Balewa local government Dr Yusuf Magalam promised to support the present administration of Bola Ahmad Tinibu to achieve his Renewed Hope Agenda.

Some of the beneficiaries spoke to Aliko Musa Umar and Nbami Masoyi who thanked the donors for the gesture pledged to use it to boost their farming operation.

Another beneficiary, Malam Saidu Yana, from Shira Local government said the gesture has come at the right time as farmers commence farm clearing.

He said the gesture shows that the Bola Tinubu led administration is battle ready for the food crisis in the country.

He assured that the beneficiaries would make good use of the inputs to produce more foods for the Nigeria population.

The Bauchi State Public Finance of Agriculture (PFA) budget committee, a consortium of various civil society organizations, has urged the state government to target the right beneficiaries for farm inputs and funds to avert the looming food crisis in the state.

Mrs Tabawa Atiku, Chairperson of the Committee made the call in a news conference on findings of the Bauchi State 2024 approved agricultural budget analysis on Tuesday in Bauchi.

She noted that the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HPLE) of the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has recommended that all governments must continue to support smallholder farmers and local communities.

“Through appropriate stimulus packages (in cash or kind) to enhance food resilience and improve allocation to agriculture for food security,” Atiku said

Atiku urged the state government to ensure that the right beneficiaries are targeted, and funds are utilized properly to get results.

“Budgetary allocation should also be made specifically for smallholder women farmers to support their agricultural activities.

“There is an urgent need to allocate budget lines for extension services and ensure total cash releases and expenditure so as to achieve access to farm demonstrations for smallholder women farmers.

“Extension services of the government should also be strengthened by recruiting new extension agents, building their capacity, and providing them with incentives and facilities necessary for their effectiveness.

She added that to meet the one extension worker to 3000 ratio in the field. The extension sub-sector should be revived and properly funded on a budget line for growth and improvement of productivity.

“Also, there is a need for ADP to link SWOFON with retired extension workers at the various LGAs,” She stressed.

She also said monitoring and evaluation should be seen as a priority because it would strengthen oversight functions of the MDAs at all levels.

“The monitoring and evaluation department needs to be properly funded on a budget line for growth and improvement of productivity and implementation.

“There is need for the Ministry to collaborate with N-SIP, CSOs and Smallholder farmers to ensure their involvement and participation in budget preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes,” She said

The Chairperson charged the State House of Assembly House Committee on Agriculture and Appropriation to enhance its oversight functions and mandate over the management of public funds in the sector to guarantee greater value for money.

She reiterated that smallholder farmers especially women should be supported with simple-Labor-Saving Technologies/machineries such as Ox-Plough, Rice planter and harvester, power tiller etc by the state government and donors through MDAs and NGOs.

She however urged the state government to increase the budget allocation for input support to farmers and also to make room for organic fertilizer at subsidized rate for smallholder women farmers to access.

The Consortium of the Civil Society organizations of the Bauchi State PFA Budget Committee, comprises of Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative (FAWOYDI),Rahama Women and Development Programme (RAHAMA),Women Empowerment Initiative Nigeria (WEIN)

They include Bauchi State Network of Civil Society (BASNEC), Smallholder Women Farmers Networks (SWOFAN),Small Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON),Association of Small-Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN),WODASS

Others are Leadtots Development Initiative,Muslim Aid Initiative in Nigeria (MAIN),Bauchi State Activista,Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) and Media.

The Bauchi State President of Nigerian Association of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Comrade Muhammad Yunusa has called on his members across 20 Local government areas in the state to be well prepared for this year’s farming as raining season approaches.

Comrade Muhammad Yunusa made the call in his this year’s May Day message and made copy available to newsmen.

The NULGE state President,said due to the economic meldow,there is the need for the members to fully engage into farming activities , which according to him will alliviate the sufferings being faced by Nigerians

“I want to use this opportunity to calls my people to be well prepared for this year’s farming, because the urgly trend in economic forced to look for the other sources for livelihood,The NULGE Boss emphasised

Comrade Muhammad Yunusa called on the state government to include Local government workers in the distribution of fertilizer and other farm inputs.

“The government of the day should include its workers of the local government areas of the state,as they are sufferings with the current economic challenges,they needs an assistance,. Comrade Yunusa said.

He also commended the effort of the state government under the leadership of Governor Bala Muhammad for the laudable projects executed across the state.

While calling on his members to be law abiding citizens,the NULGE State President, appealed for more interventions from the State government to the Union for conducive working environment.