FG saves N25bn, targets 5m new farmers under GES

The Federal Government has saved more than N25 billion since the introduction of the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme for farmers in 2012.

Ibukun Odusote, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Aagriculture, disclosed this on Thursday in Katsina at a meeting with stakeholders drawn from the northern states and the FCT.

Represented by Eneyanju Damilola, the director, agriculture extension services, Odusote said the funds would have gone into contracts for the supply of fertilisers and seeds.

Odusote said a total of 4.2 million farmers were registered in 2012 under the scheme and that additional five million farmers were being targeted this year.

She said that the GES programme was a cost-sharing scheme between the farmers and the government.

According to her, N15 billion was spent on the programme in 2012 out of which farmers contributed N7.5 billion; state governments, N3.75 billion and the Federal Government, N5 billion.

The permanent secretary said the fertiliser companies sold N15 billion worth of the commodity directly to farmers and N1.5 billion worth of seeds last year.