To improve food security across the State, the Delta State Government has revealed plans to distribute 12,000 bags of fertilizers to farmers in the State.

This move was disclosed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kinglsey Emu during a meeting with farmers at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, yesterday.

According to Dr. Emu, the bags of fertilizers- NPK 20:10:10; NPK 27:13:13 and Urea, which was delivered from Kaduna State, would be distributed to strategic farming groups as recommended by the Agricultural and Palliative Committees of the State, owing to the quantity of the fertilizers available.

He mentioned that unlike the previously distributed 17,400 50kg and 24,000 bags of Rice that were distributed across the 500 wards of the 25 local government areas of the state and other palliatives that were delivered from the National Emergency Management Agency and its State counterpart, SEMA, to distribute to Poultry, Fishery and Pig farmers, the bags of the fertilizers would be distributed specifically to Yam, Rice, Oil Palm, Banana/Plantain and Cassava farmers to improve their output.

“As usual, we direct palliatives to those individuals or groups concerned, we do not just distribute to anybody.

“When we had the bags of rice, it was shared as directed across the local government areas, using the wards as yardsticks.

As a state, comply with the distribution of palliatives as mandated by the donors, to ensure equity and fairness,” he said.

The SSG further stated that, in line with the people-oriented administrative style of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the meeting between the Government and the farmers’ groups was necessary so that they could interact and find a balance in the distribution of the items between Large-scale, Medium-scale, Small-scale and micro-farmers to ensure inclusivity.

He implored the benefiting groups to submit a comprehensive list of their members by Thursday this week to ensure that the items are ready to be distributed by next week.

“We want to be sure that these items get to you as soon as possible for immediate use because keeping the fertilizers for too long would be not ideal and also the rainy season is gradually phasing out, even though we are encouraging all-year-round farming in the state.

“So, we want to encourage farmers by distributing the items imminently,” Dr. Emu added.

He, also mooted plans of the State Government to create farm clusters in the three senatorial districts of the state, with the formation of farm rangers to man and secure the farmlands, as a panacea to the herdsmen menace.

The SSG equally disclosed that the State Government was interfacing with the Traditional Rulers Council to tackle the issue of herdsmen, as no person can occupy any land without the consent of the landowner and traditional rulers.

“The issue of herdsmen and security of our farmlands is not just a concern to us as a state, it is also a national issue.

“However, we are speaking with landowners and traditional rulers not to lease lands out to questionable individuals because of money.

“We are also, mooting plans to create farm clusters across the senatorial districts in the state to be manned by farm rangers to secure these farmlands and protect farmers from the rampaging herdsmen and ensure both dry and wet-season farming,” he assured.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Barr. Val Arenyeka, thanked the farmers for creating time for the meeting to interface with the government, just as he assured them that the impact of the meeting would be felt by them.