Former Inspector-General of Police and Social Democratic Party governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, has called on politicians and other individuals with the means to support farmers as part of efforts to tackle food insecurity and reduce poverty in the state.
Adamu made the call on Wednesday while launching an agricultural empowerment programme for farmers in Nasarawa’s western zone, covering Keffi, Karu, Kokona, Nasarawa and Toto local government areas.
The programme, held at the premises of the Esu Karu Palace in Karu, featured the distribution of farm equipment and inputs to hundreds of beneficiaries.
Adamu said the initiative was designed to increase agricultural production, strengthen food security and improve the livelihoods of farmers across the state.
“We are not just here to support and empower our farmers but to introduce them to modern farming methods and implements that will aid in the production of more food for our people. We are empowering our farmers for increased food production and sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
The SDP candidate noted that Nasarawa was predominantly agrarian but said farmers had continued to face challenges, including inadequate modern equipment and low-yielding crops, which had limited their ability to expand production.
He said his administration, if elected, would prioritise agriculture as part of its strategy to address hunger and poverty.
“In line with my manifesto we hold the view and very strongly too that working together with our farmers we can end hunger and reduce poverty in Nasarawa State,” Adamu said.
He urged politicians across the state to complement government efforts by investing in farmers, stressing that increased food production would eventually translate into lower prices and greater availability of food.
“So whether you are a politician or not, if you have the means, please come out and also assist the farmers. Come out, out of the little that you have, assist the farmers. Because when you assist them, we are going to get more food. If you have more food in the market, the food will be cheap and everybody will get it,” he said.
The former police chief said the empowerment scheme was not intended to compete with government programmes but to complement them.
“We know the government is trying its best to provide for the people of Nasarawa, but we know they will never be able to do it for everybody. So let them not think that we are competing with them, no. We are only contributing our own quota,” he said.
Items distributed included 100 tricycles, 200 soil-tilling machines, 2,500 herbicides, 1,200 litres of organic fertiliser, 1,500 bags of NPK and urea, 500 knapsack sprayers and other farm implements.
Adamu said the programme would be extended to other parts of Nasarawa in the coming weeks.
The post Ex IGP Adamu empowers Nasarawa farmers, urges politicians to support food production appeared first on Vanguard News.