By Francis Onoiribholo / Bureau Chief, Benin
No fewer than 400 of the 788 registered fish farmers in Edo State have been captured in the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) being executed by the Federal Government in collaboration with the state and local governments across the country.
Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Recourses, Abdul Oroh, who disclosed this at the flag-off ceremony of the 2014 Fisheries GES in the state, said each of the 400 farmers will be entitled to free 500 catfish juveniles and five bags of feeds after paying N12,500 which amounts to 50 per cent subsidy of the cost of feeds.
Urging farmers in the state to take advantage of the opportunity, Oroh explained that all payment modalities and redemption centres will soon be made available to benefiting farmers through their telephones, adding that the redemption period covers only two weeks.
“The scheme is a Federal Government initiative being executed in collaboration with Edo State Government and it gives us joy for the continuity of the scheme in fisheries subsector of Agriculture.
“The first from which 300 artisanal fishermen in Edo State benefited was in 2013.
“While Edo State Government applauds the sustainability of this scheme, it is our desire that the fishermen in the artisanal value
chain also be considered this year in order to substantially increase fish production in the state,” he said.
The commissioner also disclosed that he was duly informed that submission in respect of the demand has since been forwarded to Abuja for consideration.
He enjoined fishermen and fish farmers in the state to duly register with the Department of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in order to be captured in this Federal Government GES programme.
The post 400 Edo fish farmers captured in growth enhancement support appeared first on Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper.