The President, Agbeniyi Farmers' Association, Omu-Aran, Mr Samuel Adeniyi, on Monday, advised farmers to take advantage of the Federal Government's Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme to get maximum yields.

Adeniyi gave the advice during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, Kwara State.

NAN reported that GES is the flagship programme under the Federal Government's Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) for the distribution of fertiliser and seeds through private agro-dealers to registered farmers via an electronic platform known as the e-wallet.

The president noted that participation in the scheme would afford farmers access to additional facilities such as credit and tractor hiring.

 "The whole essence is to hasten the growth of plants which would in turn lead to a higher profit after harvest as well as the promotion of food security.

"With such access to the benefits accruing from the scheme, the farmers would be optimistic of a bumper harvest," he said.
Adeniyi decried the nonchallant attitude of some registered farmers under the scheme, who failed to show up to collect their inputs even after receiving series of text messages.

"The turnout of registered farmers coming forward at designated inputs collection centres is not encouraging at all, hence the need for us to educate them more on the immense benefits accruing from the scheme," he said.

Adeniyi also urged farmers yet to register with the scheme to do so as the programme would continue until the Federal Government captured about 20 million farmers by 2015.

Adeniyi said the association had embarked on a public enlightenment campaign, urging farmers to register with the scheme.

"Even if you have not benefited now, surely, you must have the opportunity one day; that is, if you are duly registered as a practising farmer," he said.