AS part of efforts to reduce farmers’ dependence on rain-fed agriculture and boost year-round farming, Kebbi State government has acquired 6,000 solar pumps and power tillers for dry-season farming.
This was made known by Alhaji Ahmed Idris, media aide to Governor Nasir Idris, in Birnin Kebbi, last weekend.
He said the governor made the declaration on Friday in Abuja when he visited the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.
“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,’’ the media aide quoted Governor Idris as saying during the visit.
He consequently invited the minister to be the special guest at the launch of the Kaura Agricultural Development and Growth Agenda and the distribution of solar pumps and power tillers to Kebbi farmers.
The governor further assured that Kebbi would partner with the agric ministry to achieve national food security.
Responding, the minister said he had hosted four governors in the past week who were also ready to partner with the federal government in ensuring food security.
“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,’’ the minister said.
He explained that the exercise was aimed at ensuring that Nigeria relied less on rain-fed agriculture and embraced year-round farming.
Kyari observed that year-round farming would boost crop cultivation, increase job opportunities, reduce poverty, de-escalate food inflation and enhance inclusivity.
“These are goals highlighted in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Kebbi is one of the states chosen for dry-season farming,” he said.
“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,’’ Kyari said.
