Kebbi state has acquired 6,000 solar pumps and power tillers for use in the dry-season farming
Ahmed Idris, media aide to Governor Nasir Idris , made this announcement during a visit to Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture and food security, in Abuja on Friday.
Mr. Idris disclosed that “Kebbi is ready to complement the Federal Government’s dry season farming by providing solar-powered boreholes and power tillers for farmers. The state has so far procured 6,000 units of the equipment.”
As a result, an invitation was extended to the minister to attend the inauguration of the Kaura Agricultural Development and Growth Agenda and the delivery of solar pumps and power tillers to Kebbi farmers as a special guest.
The governor, aiming to achieve national food security, promised that Kebbi would collaborate with the federal ministry.
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While the minister responded that “The collective steps we are taking to boost food production, reduce inflation, and guarantee national food security are matters of urgent engagement that require increased inter-governmental interactions. We flagged off dry-season wheat farming in 15 states in November 2023.”
He noted further that the purpose of the exercise was to make Nigeria more reliant on year-round farming and less on rain-fed agriculture.
Mr. Kyari highlighted that year-round farming would improve inclusion, de-escalate food inflation, expand crop cultivation, increase job opportunities, and reduce poverty.
“These are goals highlighted in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Kebbi is one of the states chosen for dry-season farming.
“Initial glitches notwithstanding, it is reassuring that Kebbi took necessary steps such as land preparation and facilitation of tubular irrigation to enable the cultivation of wheat under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket project.
“We are aware that your government supported farmers with additional fertilisers and other inputs and provided funds for commodity associations to boost agriculture in the state,” Mr. Kyari said.
