LAGOS: The Nigerian government has approved a technology-enabled platform called, Growth Enhancement Support System to distribute fertilizers and seeds to farmers in the country. They gave this approval on Wednesday at the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting. The meeting was chaired by Vice-President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to Akinwunmi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the government decided to adopt the electronic wallet system because the old system of distributing agricultural inputs was ineffective and was corrupt. He said that the process will eliminate corruption, associated with most government processes, and do away with intermediaries. He revealed that the government has raised N30bn through a guarantee facility from the Ministry of Finance to finance seeds and fertilisers without the use of government money. The minister happily stated that farmers would now be getting seed and fertilizer allocations through their mobile phones explained that with the network of registered agro dealers across the country, farmers would be getting seed and fertilizer allocations through their mobile phones. He told newsmen, “What we are trying to do is to build on [the] President's promise to the country about delivering service. It is not just that government delivers service but it must be done in a way that is transparent, accountable, cost efficient and in a way that also targets those that should be beneficiaries of what government wants to do.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/9J7wy Tags: Fertilizer, Mobile, Nigeria, Telecom Section: Nigeria, Tech, West Africa
