By KENNETH OBIEH
Delta Covid 19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus( D- CARES) program of the Fadama unit has distributed agricultural inputs to 70 farmers in Okpe Local Government Area to flag-off the 4th phase of disbursement across the State.
The Commissioner Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and a member of the State CARES Steering Committee(SCSC) Hon. Perez Omoun who flag-off the program said the Governor is desirous of assisting the poor and vulnerable farmers to increase food security among poor and vulnerable farmers.
Hon. Omoun revealed that program is a world bank assisted initiative to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant lockdown which affect the loss of livelihood and safe functioning of food chains.
The Commissioner noted that with 70 benefiting farmers, the state had now provided agricultural inputs to 6000 farmers across the State saying this will inturn boost production and quality of food withing the state.
He said Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborewori is fully ready to support such program that have direct impact on the farmers who do not have the means to get the inputs but have passion on the agricultural sector which is the bane of wealth of so
many develop countries.
The State CARES Coordinator and Secretary of the State CARES Steering Committee, Lady (Dr) Patience Ogbewe disclosed that the CARES intervention in Delta State has touched so many since 28th september, 2021 saying it is the turn of Amua-Idiemo farmers in Okpe Local Government Area.
Dr. Ogbewe who is representing the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Chairman State CARES Steering Committee, Mr Sonny Ekedayen emphasied that the World Bank in collaboration with the Federal Government designed the program to directly support the poor and vulnerable households with social transfers, basic services, livelihood grants, extending support to micro and small scale businesses and the Fadama unit by which they gather here is to restore food supply chains through agriculture.
Lady Ogbewe said the State government had provided agricultural inputs to 6000 farmers and the Governor had recently and released funds to engage additional 3500 farmers.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Ben Agamah also said the program is designed to leverage on existing governement institution involved in social welfare and economic enhancement in the different sectors to provide emergency relief to the poor and vulnerable small holders.
Mr. Agamah provided strategies on how they will monitor the farmers in the usage of the inputs to their benefits and that of the society.
Some of the benfiting farmers were filled with joy as they expressed their gratitude to the World Bank and the state government for such laudable program had positively impacted lives.
Agricultural inputs distributed includes livestock feeds, fertilizers, improved variety of planting seeds, day old chicks, juvenile fish feeds,medication for livestocks, fisheries and piggery among others.
