To ensure maximum farming productivity and the incurring of lowest cost by farmers, the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP), recently distributed planting materials such as certified seeds of maize and rice to farmers in the various villages, adopted by WAAPP.

The Director, Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR) and the WAAPP Co-ordinator in the University, Professor Akin Omotayo, appreciated the farmers, saying the aim of gathering was to distribute the seeds donated by WAAPP. He advised the farmers to ensure that the seeds were not consumed, but planted since they had been treated with chemicals to prevent attacks by pests. He also disclosed that the seeds contained high proportions of protein when compared with seeds from other sources. 

The Don added that a lot of money was spent in transporting the seeds from Plateau State, adding that a WAAPP team would soon be coming to inspect their farms after planting, for proper accountability. Professor Omotayo said WAAPP was looking forward to getting some farmers amongst them that would serve as ‘seeds multiplier’, by producing for other farmers, such that planting could be carried out within a short period of time. Speaking at the event, the Director, Agricultural Mediaand Extension Centre (AMREC) of FUNAAB, Professor Victor Olowe, disclosed that the seeds were highly viable and capable of yielding well. He implored the farmers to handle the seeds carefully, in order to achieve the desired objective of producing maximally at the lowest cost.