Thursday, January 4, 2024
Gov. Umar Namadi, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya and Gov. Umar Bago
Gov. Umar Namadi of Jigawa says that the state will ensure the present administration’s policy on food security is achieved through the production of wheat and other staple foods.
He stated this on Thursday while speaking with State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, saying the state was already collaborating with the federal government on this effort.
Mr Namadi said that the state was already number one in the production of wheat, adding that about 40,000 hectares had been earmarked for its production.
”Now, the wheat farming in Nigeria, out of the 120,000 hectares, Jigawa State was given 40,000 hectares. This is something that is an honour to us, and we feel that it’s good to come and appreciate Mr President and also to brief him on how far we are going with that project.
“In Jigawa State, we have a FADAMA land of over 400,000 hectares. So, that is the only FADAMA land that we can cultivate both during the rainy and dry seasons.
“Certainly, we are going to export wheat over time. Then after this one, we’re going for rice. Definitely, we’re going to have food sufficiency, and we’ll definitely have a surplus to export.
”Now four tonnes per hectare, and we’re doing 40,000 hectares. In fact, these 40,000 are the ones for which we have received support from the federal government. We are doing more than that.”
Mr Namadi said that the president has given the state the assurance of complete support on whatever is needed to achieve the target of food security and sufficiency.
Similarly, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe said that a lot of collaboration between all tiers of government was needed to achieve the laudable agricultural revolution envisaged by the Tinubu-led administration.
After a visit to the president on Thursday, Mr Yahaya said: ”There were several engagements toward the end of 2023 pertaining to healthcare and enabling business environments and so many things.
”Without the economy picking, we will continue to be where we are or even worse off, and collaboration of the state and the federal government, including the local governments, is very fundamental.
“We are prepared but it doesn’t end only in planning or taking off. We must be all through from the beginning to the end. People have to understand that we must modernise. There is a need for machine tools, there is a need for processing.
“Luckily, Gombe State is among the states that have been approved to be part of Special Agric Processing Zones, and we have set up an industrial park where we can process all the agricultural produce that we have in the state.
“I think if all states will key in and work in tandem with the FG, we shall easily reach the destination.”
In a similar vein, Gov. Umar Bago of Niger said that the state would leverage the federal government’s priority on the agricultural sector of the economy of the country.
“Niger State is now the leading state in terms of the food security initiative of Mr. President, and there are some initiatives we have started.
“We’re about to do a total of 250,000 hectares dry season farming, which we’ve already signed an agreement with some companies for off take.
“If you have listened carefully to Mr President’s New Year’s speech, you will have seen the emphasis on agriculture and also the 500,000 hectares the government is planning to farm this 2024.”
According to the governor, Niger State has also provided itself as a pilot state for that project, and we are also ambitious to also match the federal government 500,000 for 500,000.
(NAN)
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