Speaking in Katsina, yesterday, at the flag-off of fertiliser sales under the federal government's growth enhancement scheme (GES), Tijjani said that the seeds which would be distributed to farmers free were 'normal seeds and not genetically modified.'
Tijjani said 'they are improved seeds that will out yield the traditional varieties we currently have' and noted that no fewer than five million farmers have been targeted to benefit from the seed and other farm inputs nationwide.
He said the federal government was poised to ensure total transformation of the agricultural sector through value chain and noted that the provision of improved seeds and fertilisers along with other in puts were part of efforts to engender food security and poverty alleviation.
He stressed that as part of the agricultural transformation value chain, arrangements have been made for the mass purchase of farm produce by government so as to discourage situations where farmers sell their produce at low prices during harvest.
The minister disclosed that plans had been concluded for the establishment of trade and marketing cooperation which would ensure that farmers get value for their farm produce and urged them to 'produce as much as they can as all they produced will be bought by government.'
