Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the Minister in charge of the ministry, presented the items to beneficiaries on Thursday in Jos.
Kyari, represented by Mr Gukas Kizito, the Director of General Services of the ministry, said that the move aimed at ensuring food security in the country.
He said that the distributed items included pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, improved seeds, water pumps and others.
Kyari added that the items would be distributed to the farmers through the various commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
“In alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Government has declared food security as a national emergency.
“This administration has demonstrated the total political will to transform the agriculture sector by making food security a priority.
“By this exercise, the federal government is,hereby, supporting small- scale farmers with these inputs and equipment to boost food production and enhance yield.
“In summary, it is the resolve of this administration to develop the agriculture sector towards improving rural productivity and attaining the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals,”he said.
Kyari promised that the ministry would continue to roll out initiatives and programmes to support farmers and ensure food security in the country.
Earlier, Mr Kenneth Watlik, the Coordinator of the Ministry in the state, said that the items would be distributed to 25 commodity associations and farmers groups in the state.
Watlik, who warned the beneficiaries against selling the items, advised them to put them to good use.
“We are going to conduct strict monitoring; if we find anyone wanting, we will not hesitate to prosecute such a person,”he said
Speaking , Dr Nengak Yilkudi, the Permanent Secretary of Plateau Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development, thanked the federal government for the intervention.
He said that the move aligns with the state’s government drive towards making agriculture its major economic drive. (NAN)
