FG steps to check round tripping of maize, rice, cassava

Having identified round tripping as one major challenge in the 2023 dry season wheat planting through the National Agricutural Growth Scheme -Agro Pocket ( NAGS-AP) program, the Federal Government (FG) through the national and states working committees has decided to take the following underlisted steps to ensuring better inputs delivery for maize, rice and cassava.

In the document sent out to the members of both the National and States' working committees for effective monitoring of the agricultural inputs to genuine farmers, it was stated that " one of the major challenges observed during the first phase of the implementation of the NAGS-AP program is the issue of round tripping of inputs by some agro dealers" adding that the unethical practice had really undermined the integrity of the program especially with the wheat experience where portfolio farmers and agro dealers messed up the process.

Towards this end as stated in the document, the immediate measures are established to rectify the mistake.

a. Only authentic farmers identified and verified by the State Working Committee ( SWC) will receive ( redeem) agricultural inputs through the NAGS-AP program

b. Inputs will be distributed to farmers based on their confirmed and geo referenced farm size and locations.

C. All Agro dealers must adhere to the condition of engagement with National Working Committee ( NWC) and SWC at all the redemption centers to facilitate transparency, accountability and effective tracking activities.

D. All Agro dealers must have a warehouse that can store at least 60% of all prescribed inputs packages for the number of farmers designated to their redemption centers before starting the redemption process.

E. All Agro dealers will be held responsible for the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the SWC and Local Government Working Committees ( LGWCs).

 

F. Relevant provisions of existing laws will be enforced by NWCs and SWCs in the course of implementing the program.

G. All individuals involved in the process must demonstrate a high level of accountability and ethical conduct.

H. NWC and SWC are to extablish a monitoring team to oversee each redemption center to ensure compliance with all laid down rules.

I. All agricultural inputs to be redeemed by the benefitting farmers will be branded and labeled of FMAFS/NAGS-AP, including the name of the manufacturers, at the point of collection by each farmer.