By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in collaboration with Diamond Development Initiative ,(DDI) on Monday distributed farm inputs to 1,760 farmers in Benue to enable them key into the home garden initiative.
The GAIN Senior Programme Manager, Supply Chains for Commercialization, Mr Godwin Ehiabhi disclosed this during the flag off of the input distribution Friday in Makurdi
Ehiabhi explained that 440 farmers were selected as initial beneficiaries from four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. The LGAs include Gboko, Gwer, Makurdi and Otukpo, stressing that each beneficiary was given spinach seeds, tomato seeds, potatoes, water can and organic fertilizer.
He said that their organisation was championing the cause to reduce malnutrition across the globe.
Also, the Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Prof. Moses Ogbaji, lamented that though the state was the food basket of the nation yet there was widespread malnutrition and stunting especially among children under five years of age.
“This is worsened by insecurity and a host of other socio-economic factors, including inadequate processing technologies that can enhance the shelf life of food and ensure its availability all-year-round in the state,” Ogbaji said.
The Programme Manager, Benue Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (BNARDA), Mrs Dooshima Zaki, commended GAIN and DDI for introducing the home garden initiative, emphasizing that it would give people save consumption of vegetables.
Zaki encouraged the farmers to make judicious use of the items to cultivate vegetables and other crops in their homes to encourage GAIN and DDI to do more for the state.
The state Desk Officer, Mr Raphael Daav, thanked GAIN for selecting Benue to be among states that they were intervening in.
The beneficiaries Ayangeaor Akende and Mrs Dooshima Sesugh, appreciated the organisations for the gesture, stressing that they would utilize the inputs solely for the purpose they were meant for.
