The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Saturday said it had registered 13,335 farmers for the 2013/2014 dry season farming in Adamawa.
The Federal Director of Agriculture in the state, Dr Walia Hamman, disclosed this in an interview in Yola.
Hamman said that the development followed the successful implementation of the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) in the state.
He added that the dry season farming scheme was the first of its kind, introduced by the Federal Government.
“Following the successful implementation of GES across the country, government has come up with special dry season farming to improve agricultural production capacity.
“Under the scheme, 13,335 rice and maize farmers have been captured for the kickoff of the 2013/2014 dry season farming in the state,” Hamman said.
He said that the programme was designed to enable farmers have direct access and contact with the federal government.
Hamman listed areas to benefit under this phase of the scheme to include Tikno, Duwam and Lake Gerio in Demsa, Lamurde and Yola-North Local Government Areas, respectively.
According to the director, registered farmers would receive improved seed varieties and fertilisers directly from government at 50 per cent subsidy rate.
He said that the project was planned to improve the dry season farming system, as well as to enhance production capacity.
The overall objective, Hamman said, is to attain national food security.
The director also listed other local government areas that would benefit from the programme to be Fufore, Gombi, Numan, Song, Mubi-North and Mubi-South.
The list also includes Guyuk, Shelleng, Yola-South and Girei local government areas.
