In a bid to boost food security and empower small-scale farmers, the Director General National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Engr Chukwuemeka Woke, under the Renewed Hope Back to Farm Support Initiative has disbursed grant to over 300 farmers across the 14 wards of Emohua Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State.
The beneficiaries comprising 200 women and party supporters, aides to the former Chairman and social media aides, could not contain their excitement as they smiled home with N50, 000 each.
According to the NOSDRA DG the initiative aimed to aid small-scale farmers in the LGA by providing financial support to rent portions of land, purchase staple crops, and cover the costs of clearing and weeding their farmlands. This, in turn, is expected to facilitate a bountiful harvest by the end of the year.
Speaking at the distribution event in Isiodo community, Emohua LGA, Woke emphasized that the initiative is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and back to farm initiative of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The goal is to empower these farmers so that by December, they can harvest their produce, especially cassava, and produce garri, which they can sell and make hundreds of thousands of naira,” Woke explained.
Woke noted that Emohua people are known to be subsistence farmers, and every beginning of the year, they make preparations to return to their farms.
However, for some, it is a financial burden to get parcels of land to farm on, which can cost N10,000 or more. Additionally, they would need to pay for clearing and weeding their farmlands at least twice before harvesting.
He explained: “The true essence of empowerment is empowering people for a cause, for survival, for sustainability, and that is what the Renewed Hope Initiative stands for. The initiative is expected to have a positive impact on the lives of the beneficiaries and contribute to the overall food security of the state.”
Also speaking at the presentation which could be described as a rainbow coalition of both PDP and APC in the council, Dr. Benibo George, the PDP State Secretary, representing the State Chairman, Chukwuemeka Aaron, praised the initiative, saying, it is a true definition of human development.
George encouraged the beneficiaries to use the grant judiciously, urging Woke to sustain the tempo of the initiative. He noted that farming is the backbone of the local economy and that the initiative would go a long way in boosting food production in the state.
Tony Okocha, the APC State Chairman, expressed gratitude to the coordinator of the initiative on behalf of the Renewed Hope Family. He also extended his thanks to the leader of the Renewed Hope Family in the state, Minister of Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nyesom Wike, for his supportive efforts.
Okocha urged the beneficiaries to utilize the grant responsibly, underscoring the critical role of agriculture in the state. “There is immense potential in agriculture. So, mothers, please make the most of these grants,” he stated.
He emphasized that the Renewed Hope Initiative is part of the federal government’s broader strategy to enhance agricultural productivity and empower small-scale farmers nationwide.
Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have lauded the initiative, viewing it as a significant step towards achieving food security in Nigeria.
Some beneficiaries who spoke to reporters expressed their commitment to using the grants effectively. They voiced high expectations that this support will positively influence their lives as farmers and contribute to the overall development of the state’s agricultural sector.
Uchechukwu Otuonu, one of the beneficiaries, remarked, “I am truly grateful to be among those receiving this gesture, as such assistance is rare. I pray that God replenishes the sources of this support. I assure the organizers that we will utilize this grant judiciously.”
By Fidel Njamanze
