Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Government said it is set to install about 997 solar-powered boreholes to boost agriculture.
The government further disclosed its willingness to develop water harvesting equipment, soil and water conservation infrastructure and establishment of 3,000ha of community woodlots, shelter belt and afforestation to stem fast depleting vegetations in the participating states and touch the lives of about 30,000 vulnerable women and men.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, revealed this while distributing contract award letters to contractors and the broadcast planting of improved fodder seeds recently, in Yobe State.
Ogbeh stressed that the beneficiaries would cut across seven states; Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara states.
He maintained that the benefiting communities of the projects were implemented under the Climate Change Adaptation and Agribusiness Support Programme (CASP).
Said he, “The projects which would be completed this year will undertake 22 rural roads with support structures such as drainages, culverts, rails and drifts covering a distance of 59.09km across the participating states.”
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“The Federal Government is deliberately giving impetus to rural development because of the critical role that rural infrastructures play in unlocking the vast and enormous potential of the rural areas.”
Like Oliver Twist, the Emir of Daura, Dr Umar Faruq, appealed to the Federal Government to set up rice mill in the state, develop more dams for irrigation and extension of subsidised mechanised facilities to farmers in the state which the Minister promised to look into.