Agaju Madugba, Katsina
The Katsina State Government has invested N25 billion in three years for the development of agriculture and natural resources in the area, says Governor Aminu Bello Masari.
Governor Masari spoke, on Tuesday, in a message he sent at the flag-off of the 2018 Katsina State agricultural exhibition, at Kafin Soli, in Kankia Local Government Area of the state.
He said that there were indications that the investment had yielded the desired results arguing that his government’s agriculture restoration policy is on the right track.
The state’s deputy governor, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, who also doubles as the Commissioner for Agriculture, represented Governor Masari at the ceremony.
According to Governor Masari, “Three years ago, at this particular time of the year, small scale farmers who constitute 80 per cent of the farming population in the state were struggling to store their low harvests which could hadly last them for the year.
“This resulted in the youth migrating to the urban cities within and outside the state, looking for greener pasture.
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“But with the intervention of our agricultural development policy, the above trend is being reversed.
“In every market across the state, small scale farmers now sell their produce surplus to agro-based industries and commodity dealers.
“Government has provided facilities, incentives and the enabling environment to ensure that both small scale farmers in the state are engaged massively all year round.
“Our target is to ensure that wet and dry season farmers are supported and empowered to effectively compete positively with global challenges that demand high level of commercial production, processing and marketing of products both within and outside the country.
“In its efforts to revive cotton production for which the state was known for in the past, government is collaborating with the Institute of Agricultural Research, ABU, Zaria, for the production of cotton in the dry season.
“As for the other crops, efforts are being made to source for improved seed varieties with short duration of maturity and high yield that will stand the effects of climate change, for farmers to increase their production, generate employment and provide wealth,” he said.
