WACOT begins distribution of farm inputs in Katsina

WACOT, an agro-allied company, has flagged off the distribution of maize seeds and other inputs to Katsina farmers in line with the Federal Government’s food security programme.

Nuraddeen Abubakar, the company’s field coordinator, said WACOT has so far registered 10,000 individual farmers with over 10,000 hectares of land in the scheme.

“Farmers are registered in cooperative societies in order to access the inputs loan; a farmer with at least one hectare or maximum of 5 hectares is eligible for the programme. The beneficiaries are expected to pay with maize grains after harvest,” he stated.

He added that the programme so far covered Faskari, Sabuwa, Malumfashi, Kankara and Funtua LGAs, where 35,000 registered farmers with 50,000 hectares of farmland are targeted for the scheme.

“For each hectare of farm, the beneficiary will receive 20kg maize seeds, 3 liters of Vinash herbicide, 2 bags of urea fertilizer, 4 bags of NPK fertilizer, 0.5 litre of bio stimulant and a liter of marshal insecticide,” said Nuruddeen.

Alhaji Ahmed Iliyasu, Funtua zonal coordinator of Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (KATARDA) who represented the General Manager, congratulated the beneficiaries for the opportunity to enroll in the programme.

“For you to be part of this programme is a golden opportunity only if you judiciously use the inputs and pay back in time for other farmers to benefit,” he said.

He called on the farmers to feel free to visit their offices in the event of any problem or issue in the course of their farming.

The district head of Mairuwa urged the farmers to respect the terms and conditions of the loan and see it as a duty to pay back as and when due.

Malam Abdullahi Fankama, a farmer in Faskari LGA, said he benefitted from the programme last year.

“Last year WACOT dealt with us individually; we benefitted from the scheme and everything now is a success story,” Fankama said.