The Niger State government says it has made available one million hectares of land to the federal government for the 2024 dry season farming.
The governor of the state, Mohammed Umaru Bargo, who disclosed this when he visited the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari in his office in Abuja on Friday, also informed the minister that the state has attracted an investment of over $1 billion in the last six months.
Bargo commended the determination of the present administration under President Bola Tinubu to fight for insecurity, adding that Niger state has offered itself as a pilot state for agricultural development in Nigeria.
He said, “We are here to further reiterate Mr. President’s commitment to food security as a major priority because with better agricultural productivity there will be employment opportunities for our people, the nation will earn foreign exchange and Nigeria will achieve self sufficiency as a country.”
He said given the numerous opportunities in agriculture, Nigerians have no other way to go than to go the way of Agriculture
“As a state, we are sitting on 76,000sqkm of arable land, four hydro power dams, 94 earth dams and water dams and almost 100 warehouses for the storage of agric produce. So we have no reason to be poor, therefore, we are poised and committed to making sure that in this dry season farming, we are doubling the Federal government’s commitment to farm 500,000 hectares by providing one million hectares.
“We have invested so much in irrigation and we are deploying irrigation pumps some of which use renewable energy to help us reduce carbon emission,” the governor said.
Earlier while welcoming the governor to the office, the Minister commended the governor for his landmark achievements in the area of agricultural development in the state.
“I would also like to extend our profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support in our quest for food security in the country,” Kyari said.
“The Ministry is focused on ramping up massive production of staple crops using technology and mechanization to achieve this goal. We are grateful for the support and guidance of Mr. President as we work towards a more food-secure Nigeria.
“Furthermore, I would like to reiterate that the Ministry is fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are poised to implement our programmes in line with his vision for the agricultural sector. We are determined to driving agricultural transformation, enhancing productivity and ensuring that our farmers have the necessary support to thrive. Our goal also includes ensuring food security and driving down food inflation.”
He invited the state to collaborate with the federal government to stamp out farm inputs racketeering to ensure government interventions get to the real farmers.