No fewer than 100 farmers in Abia have benefited from the Cassava Enhancement Support Scheme (CESS) of Abia government, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The CESS launched on Wednesday in Umuahia is a programme of the state government with assistance from the Federal Government.
Under the scheme, the state government is expected to capture the data-base of genuine farmers and provide them with 25 per cent fertiliser subsidy.
The Federal Government also provides 25 per cent fertiliser subsidy and distributes free highly improved cassava stems and seedlings to farmers.
Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources said at the launching that the event was one of the series lined up to launching of Nigerian cassava at the international market.
Adesina, who was represented by Mr Marthins Fregene, the team leader said that Nigeria could no longer afford to waste its resources on an agricultural produce it had comparative advantage.
“This is a programme of Abia government but the Federal Government is just supporting it.
“The first stage of this programme is giving out planting materials of the best variety to the farmer.
“This will at the long run reduce the cost of producing the crops in the country,’’ Adesina said.
He noted with regret that the current cost of producing cassava by-products in the country was too high than that of import.
He said this was the reason that cassava products were being imported into the country at exorbitant rates.
Adesina said that all beneficiaries of the scheme would be given a scratch card with which to use in exchange for 15 bundles of cassava stems, two bags of fertilisers and a 50kg bag of improved seedlings.
Chief Ike Onyenweaku, the Abia Commissioner for Agriculture said that the scheme was targeted at improving the living standard of over 75 per cent of residents of the state.
“We, therefore, urge our farmers to embrace this scheme in order to maximise their potentials,’’ Onyenweaku said. (NAN)