By Ibrahim Ibrahim Ringim, Jigawa
The Jigawa state governor Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Badaru has commissioned the N11.8 million renovated Jigawa Fadama house and distributed farming implements to farmers aimed at improving the activities of the project in the state.
The governor who was represented by his Deputy Barrister Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia for the commissioning of renovated state Fadama coordination office and distribution of Agricultural inputs and machineries to Fadama rice and sorghum farmers, women and youth groups held at Jigawa state Agricultural and Rural Development Authority JARDA state headquarters, said that the project was funded by the World Bank in their effort to support farming activities in the state.
He explained that, as part of present administration effort to boost the economy, a special priority was given to the Agricultural sector within its three years in office.
According to him,” governor Badaru in his three years in office succeeded in prompt payment of over, 140 million as 2014,2015,2016 and 2017 counter fund to the World Bank Fadama office which lead to the released of over one billion for Jigawa state Fadama programme”.
Governor Badaru said the prompt payment of counterpart funds to Fadama III additional financing with support funds from world Bank is intentional as the programmes are in line with the administration’s philosophy especially the supports to cluster farmers, youth and women groups.
He maintained that, with support of this fund,over 50,000 farmers were empowered through the cluster farming programme under Fadama III additional financing.
He said over 80% of Jigawa people are engaged in Agriculture and nearly all of them are small scale farmers whose limited output and lack of capacity impacts on productivity.
He said farming is the single most important and widely practice occupation in the state,therefore government is making all necessary efforts to establish a solid and excellent enabling environment for the occupation to grow and prosper steadily and sustainably.
He noted that the budgetary allocation on Agricultural sector was also increased from N2.9billion in 2015 to 7.4 in 2016 and N7.4billion in 2017 and N9.3billion in 2018 which helped the state to moved from the position of being poorest in the country to the richest and envied state not only in Nigeria but in Sub-sahara West African sub-continent.
In his speech at the commissioning ceremony of Fadama House the state commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources Alhaji Kabiru Ali said that, before the inception of presents administration Agricultural sector was in deplorable condition, farming was only for subsistence and manual labour dominated almost all on-farm and off-farm operation.
He said that with governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar’s lead administration commitments an increase of farmers productivity was witnessed with an average yield of 7.5 tones far hecter.
Kabiru explained that so far under Fadama III additional financing project 6.810 rice farmers and 3500 sorghum farmers have benefited, 470 youth and women agro -processors have been empowered with power tillers, tricycles, rice milling, grinding machines and threshers across the state.
He said jigawa state government is ready to collaborate with all interested donor agencies wishing to partner with the state in improving the socio-economic development of rural populace especially youth and women.
While speaking at the occasion the Jigawa state project coordinator Fadama III additional financing , Alhaji Aminu Isah Ringim said the building is older than the state and has accommodated Fadama projects offices since Fadama I,Fadama II, Fadama III and currently Fadama III additional financing, which is over twenty years in existence.
He said from day of lunching of the programme in the state last year over ten thousands thirty one farmers benefitted with different kinds of Fadama support from 1031 farmers groups out of which 681 are rice production groups and 350 sorghum production groups.
He explained that the project has distributed fifty eight (58 )rice milling machines, twenty four (24) sorghum milling machines, eighteen (18) tricycles and sixty (60) multi purpose threshers.
Other items distributed includes twelve (12) power tillers, three thousand three hundred and thirty seven (3337) water pumps machines,three thousands six hundred and ninety three (3693) sprayers and six thousands eight hundred and ten ( 6810) tubes well , also distributed are fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, improved seeds and mechanization.
The state project coordinator also appreciated the state government effort towards supporting Agricultural sector and Fadama III additional financing programme to success in the state.
