MINISTER of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, yesterday narrated how the present administration stopped politicians from hijacking subsidized fertilizers meant for genuine farmers, describing the high level of corruption devised by the politicians-turned farmers as incipient.

He stated this in a paper presented at the on-going Nigerian Guild of Editors Conference holding in Asaba, Delta State, titled, ‘Agriculture: The Value Chain Road Map’ as contribution to the theme of the conference ‘Nigeria Beyond Oil: Role of the Editor’.

His words, “the backbone of any agricultural revolution is access of farmers to modern agricultural inputs, especially fertilizers and seeds. For decades, successive governments in Nigeria procured and distributed fertilizers.

“The government system was corrupt and undermined the private sector. It did not deliver fertilizers to genuine farmers. Instead, rich and powerful political farmers hijacked the subsidized fertilizers. As a result, no more than 11% of all the farmers in the country got the fertilizers distributed by the government.

“Corruption was incipient, as sand was mixed with fertilizers and sold to government, payments were made for fertilizer not supplied, and subsidized fertilizers were resold back to government, with a lot more sold off to the neighbouring countries.

“To put it bluntly: government was not subsidizing farmers; instead it was subsidizing corruption. Farmers’ powerlessness worsened as high quality seeds and fertilizers they need to raise their farm productivity were taken over by the elite, the rich and politically powerful. For the few fortunate farmers that got fertilizers, they often got them in bowls, like beggars. Farmers lost their dignity.

“But we have changed all that. Within the first 90 days of this administration, we ended the forty year-old fertilizer sector racket and corruption. The old system of government buying and selling fertilizers was scrapped, and all fertilizer companies were required to sell directly to farmers, not to government warehouses. We embarked on the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), which provides subsidized farm inputs directly to farmers. To reach farmers directly with seeds and fertilizers, we developed the Electronic Wallet System, which allows farmers to receive subsidized electronic vouchers for their seeds and fertilizers on their mobile phones.”

“The system”, she went on, “bypasses middlemen and reaches farmers directly, with no government distribution. Nigeria is the first country in Africa – possibly in the world – to develop the electronic wallet system for targeting farmers with subsidized farm inputs.

“The system worked successfully. In 2012, 1.5 million smallholder farmers got their subsidized seeds and fertilizers using their mobile phones. This impacted on 7.5 million persons.To expand and reach even more farmers, we embarked on the nations first ever registration of farmers. This year, we registered 10 million farmers. Farmers now have identity cards that allow us to use their biometric information to target them more effectively.

“So far in 2013 over 3.4 million farmers have so far received their subsidized inputs via the GES program and Electronic Wallet Scheme. We expect to reach close to 5 million farmers by the end of the dry season”, she stated.

Source - www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/how-jonathan-stopped-politicians-from-hijacking-farmers-subsidized-fertilizers-adesina/

homesteady:

Goddamnit!!!







*Goes back to reading the article*

GEJ is working haters are talking....
Come 2015, I will personally vote PDP out of power.


#3rd_TC#

Awon thief

I 4got wht I intended writing...I'll get back 2 u guyz.

God is really answwering our prayers and directing GEJ. May his name be exalted.

Yungwizzzy: .

BUSTED!!!

90%of Hell would be filled with our politicians,they are bunch of rogues who deserve a firing squad....imagine,hijacking a fertilizer meant for the benefit of the people. God,please save us from this people.

homesteady:


Source - www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/how-jonathan-stopped-politicians-from-hijacking-farmers-subsidized-fertilizers-adesina/

First time this close....wow

He is a wise man and once re-elected in 2015, GEJ will surely go for the oil thieves and fuel import fraudsters.

till 2015 ...abeg who knw if ASUU don agree to call of the strike since 30billion has been disbursed.....or them want face sack

Even the past president that is a farmer like them never really did much for them.

Monopoly ? Maybe not


GEJ is God sent

even at such ungovernable situations


Jonathan for 2015, 2019.....

Probably till as long as he wants

God bless Nigeria.
God bless Mr. President.

Promhize: God bless Nigeria.
God bless Mr. President.

.

all we need now is a better road network, more investments and constant Electricity, no matter what it takes

~ In 2011, Presidency Orders Probe of N98 Billion Fertilizer Scam

http://allafrica.com/stories/201110140242.html

~ In 2012, EFCC Arraigns Suspect Over N64.8 Million Fertilizer Scam

http://allafrica.com/stories/201204021422.html

~ In January 2013, Fertilizer distribution was confirmed as most corrupt sector in Nigeria - Minister

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/3194-fertiliser-distribution-most-corrupt-sector-in-nigeria-minister

~ In February 2013, Growth enhancement scheme ended fertilizer scam –Adesina

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/5039-growth-enhancement-scheme-ended-fertiliser-scam-%25E2%2580%2593adesina

~ In August 2013, Jonathan stopped politicians from hijacking farmers, subsidized fertilizers – Adesina

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/how-jonathan-stopped-politicians-from-hijacking-farmers-subsidized-fertilizers-adesina/

... What else to add than to say kudos for eliminating middlemen from the fertilizer scam and reduced drastically corrupt practices in the distribution ...

The Oil industry can do with similar purge, it is long over due.

As many of you already know, this guy is d person I consider d BEST Minister in GEJ's cabinet, even in the midst of some oda Performing ones like Aviation, Finance, Transport, Trade and Investment, Water Resources, etc.... Kudos

Nigeria, corruption in the church, mosque, WAEC, NECO, JAMB, military, presidency, in agriculture.
Last Bullet:
I collapse!

Thank you lord for giving us not the president we want, but the leader we need.

Nigeria is working....

Impressive, keep up the good job, that is if he is saying the truth.

Thats my jona...
Letme break it dwn..
160million population...
10m farmers,that 140m population left..
Each farmer must hav a minimum of 3 co-farmer each..thats added 30m,plus 10=40m population in the farm prod sector.....
Remainin 120m right ?
Oga minister let me nak u a question,do u knw that sum so called farmers has 2plots of land,and tag it farm?
They cnt even feed their households frm their farm products,talkless of feedin the nation or addin their produce to national pyramid,if it stil exist....
Oga minister,who are the corrupt officials ?..
Are they nameless,or is his/her name govt official ?,then what are u ? Public official ?.
Whose fooling who...
Am in naija border nw(seme,agbara),and almst 500
bags of rice,enter naija daily..whose fooling who,abeg,GEJ plz,i knw adeshina his wrkin bt plz tel him to feed us,and nt feed farmers families.

corruption everywhere.....which way NIGERIA i ask in Sunny Okusun voice

rozayx5:

.

all we need now is a better road network, more investments and constant Electricity, no matter what it takes

The great news is dat just few days back dey lunched the rail network for goods these can also reduce d price of transportation for d farmer, this will make farming a very lucrative business.

Tusky44: He is a wise man and once re-elected in 2015, GEJ will surely go for the oil thieves and fuel import fraudsters.

Too quick to mention 2015.You've forgotten d thieves are his friends! Let him start by returning the thousands of motorcycles kept in a military garrrison bush,meant for farmers in bayelsa he shared to his aides & special advisers before leaving bayelsa! OH i forgot,they have been shared! Slow poke hypocrite! SMH!!

Please tell mr president to revitalize our refineries and build new once so that thieves in this country will stop making money from fuel importation and subsidies. A country among the top 10 producers of oil in the world should'nt be importing petrol.

Tusky44: He is a wise man and once re-elected in 2015, GEJ will surely go for the oil thieves and fuel import fraudsters.

why not stop them now? Are they too powerfull or he needs their donation plus support in 2015?

that's true i received my alert to get my 2 bags of fertilizer and 50kg bag of maize for just 5k. unfortunately, i am a fish farmer, i didnt bother to go. but most guys in our farm, went collected the stuff, since them no need am sell am back to the middlemen. something our minister need to do; he should try and distinguish the farmers and their incentives, i a fish fermer, dont need MUCH fertilizer, what i need is good supply of fingerlins, bags of fish feeds, access to testing of water quality. that's all. i dont need maize, oga una don try, abeg make una send me feed text abeg, thats wat i really need.

That's our man GEJ.. Nigeria's human messiah