FG plans to register 10m farmers under GES in 2013

The Federal Government on Monday said that registration of farmers under its Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) would increase to 10 million before the end of 2013.

The minister of state for agriculture, Bukar Tijani, said this when he spoke with newsmen in Gombe.

Tijani said that the number would be an increment of over 50 percent as against the over four million farmers that were registered in 2012.

“This time around, we are able to make a national farmers database. Last year, we registered 4.2 million farmers, this year we are going to register a minimum of 10 million farmers.

“I believe for the first time in Nigeria, we have fairly authentic database of farmers.

“And what I am talking about is not a census of people living in Abuja, Lagos or Port Harcourt,” he said.

The minister said the registration of farmers had assisted in ensuring transparency and accountability in government efforts at serving the people as beneficiaries of the scheme.

According to him, “I am happy to inform importers, processing agricultural produce equipment, that the Federal Government has removed tariffs and Custom charges.