FG to distribute 10 million mobile phones to rural farmers

As part of its efforts to revamp the agricultural sector, the Federal Government is set to distribute 10 million mobile phones to rural farmers across the country.

Already, the government has entered into agreement with some foreign manufacturing companies to procure the handsets worth about N60 billion preparatory to the roll-out of the exercise by the end of March.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, disclosed this on Tuesday during a sensitization programme held in Igan Ipabi town for rural farmers in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Odusote said the fund for the project had been set aside by the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, adding that discussion had been held with various service providers on how to execute the project.

She disclosed that the initiative was part of the e-wallet project of her ministry to assist its officials in communicating with farmers in the rural areas on the latest and best agricultural practices as well as the current prices of commodities in the market.

Apart from the mobile phones, the permanent secretary stated that the Federal Government also planned to distribute solar-powered lamps to enable the benefitting rural farmers to charge their handsets.

She added that her ministry was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology towards ensuring further expansion of the coverage of network providers in the country, especially in the rural areas.

Odusote also said that farmers would get 50 percent subsidy on fertilizer and other necessary assistance from the government.

She said: "We are talking about 10 million phones. Each phone would cost about N6,000 or N4,000; because it is in large quantity, we are not just going to buy them in pieces like that. Probably, we'll buy direct from the manufacturing companies.

"As part of the e-wallet, that is electronic wallet which we are promoting, the handsets would be the tool with which we would communicate with farmers in the rural areas. Deep into the interiors, we would be able to communicate with them.

"We are actually working with the Ministry of Communication Technology. So, they are talking to the network providers. We have agreed they are going to expand their networks into the rural areas where normally they would say there is no economic viability.

"But because the Federal Government will be putting some support into this, they will go into the hinterlands and create and expand their networks so that we can have access.

"We are looking at a complete value chain concerning this matter. And the emphasis is on women and youths so that the ageing population of farmers can actually rest and then the younger generation that understand what we are talking about in terms of electronic system will be able to come alive and take over farming in Nigeria."

Odusote reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government towards encouraging the youths to take interest in agriculture in the rural areas.

Also speaking, the Regional Director of the ministry, Mr. Olalekan Quadri, said that plans had reached advanced stage to ensure that farmers in rural areas have access to mechanized agriculture.

In his remarks, the Alaye of Odogbolu, Oba Adedeji Onagoruwa, urged the Federal Government to involve traditional rulers in the mobilization of people at the grassroots for the scheme.

Oba Onagoruwa, who described himself as a farmer, expressed optimism that the sensitization would encourage more people to embrace farming.