By UCHENNA ELETUO

The Caritas Nigeria, with the support of Conrad Hilton Foundation, U.S., is to introduce a reward scheme for outstanding farmers under its empowerment.

Rev. Sister Bibiana Azeh, a Caritas Nigeria Field Officer for Ikorodu, made this known, at Maya, Ikorodu, Lagos State, at the 2026 Caritas Nigeria Agriculture Inputs and Implements Distribution.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 250 farmers benefitted from the inputs and implements distribution.

Azeh said that farmers to be rewarded must be outstanding in smart farming, harvesting, record keeping and knowledge transfer.

She said that the reward would start in 2026 and the outstanding farmers would be rewarded with grants and state-of-the-art implements to further boost production.

NAN reports that Caritas Nigeria, a specialised development and humanitarian agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, established in 2010, fights poverty, disease and injustice.

Farmers’ empowerment by Caritas Nigeria targets poor and under served communities.

The 2026 edition had the theme, “Building Sustainable Livelihoods in Vibrant Communities”.

The beneficiaries, mostly rural dwellers, were earlier trained by Caritas Nigeria on smart agriculture, organic fertiliser production, insecticide making and animal husbandry.

The trainees are expected to train others in their communities.

They were given improved maize and okra seedlings as well as tools such as Knapsack sprayer, hoes, rainboots, grass cutting machines and irrigation equipment.

The Executive Chairman, Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area, Mr Ibrahim Olawale-Apanisile, described the empowerment as a pragmatic approach to tackling hunger and eencouraging self-reliance.

The chairman was represented by the Supervisor for Community Affairs in the council, Mr Kehinde Fakunmoju.

He said that the council would give Caritas Nigeria the necessary support to widen the scope of its empowerment.

“We have been seeing your works, and the impact on our people over the years has been encouraging.

“My advice to the beneficiaries is to avoid the temptation of selling the implements but to explore the future with them,” he said.

The Caritas Nigeria Senior Humanitarian and Early Recovery Advisor, Mr Friday Alhassan, said that the farmers would have continuous access to improved seedlings.

NAN reports that Caritas Nigeria on Thursday also empowered 250 farmers at Bapo, Badagry, Lagos State, with inputs and implements. (NAN)