Ismail Umar, Sokoto
The Commissioner Ministry of Animal Health and Fisheries Development and Overseer Ministry of Agriculture Sokoto, Professor Abdulkadir Junaid, said state government has procured 400 trucks of fertilizer and distributed at half price to farmers across the state.
Professor Junaid stated this when he received National Coordinator of Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme, ATSAP Dr Ibrahim Arebi, and his team who were on courtesy visit to his office in Sokoto.
According to him, the Administration of Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has reitterated more commitments that shows consistent support to agriculture as key to sustainable development.
” State government were able to procured fertiliser
sokoto stateworth million of naira and was distributed to farmers at Subsidised rate to improve agricultural activities in 23 local government areas of the state.
” Farm inputs which include seeds, agro-chemicals, insecticide and others were also distributed to farmers to boost food production and achieve food sufficiency,” he said.
He explained that the Agriculture being the major contributor of the economy, the state government was doing everything possible to promote it’s activities especially when it’s comes to issue of intervention.
Professor Junaid said he was delighted to received the team of ATSAP from National Office as part of their tour to monitor projects awarded and ensure smooth completion of contracts which were jointly funded.
He told the team that Governor Tambuwal was glad to be among the states selected for the intervention, that was why government he ensure timely released of counterpart funding.
He called on ATSAP to ensure the programme takes it proper shapes by relocating the scheme to its original sites to assist in articulating the programme effectively.
” You should carry everybody along especially technical partners to help develop a roadmap for successful execution of all projects and proper utilisation of resources,” he added.
Professor Junaid commended ATSAP for choosing sokoto as one of the beneficiary of the programme, but urged them to for more intervention to cover some areas that would help to achieve targetted food sufficiency programme by the year 2030.
He however said ATSAP intervention will go a long way in ensuring that farmers become more comfortable to partake in their farming activities.
Earlier, the National Coordinator of ATSAP, Dr Ibrahim Arebi, said they were in the commissioner to extend their appreciation to Sokoto State government.
Dr Arebi who was represented by Engineer Usman Abdullahi, explained that state government facilitated the commencement of the projects through timely released of it’s counterpart funding which was commendable.
He assured that ATSAP would continue to work hand in hand with technical partners especially those from the State Ministry of Agriculture for smooth actualisation of the ongoing projects.
According to him, Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme would also look forward to consider other intervention to the state to assist in promoting agricultural activities and enhance farmers performance.
Similarly, away from the visit, the State Commissioner Professor Junaid also launched Artificial Insemination programme at Bodinga local government area of Sokoto State.
He said the major aim of the programme was to boost meat and milk production by 10% in the area.
Professor Junaid added that to ensure full actualisation of the programme government had embark on annual Animal Vaccination campaign for free to livestock farmers across the 23 councils of the state.
He called on livestock farmers to utilise the opportunity and get their cattles inseminated for economic development of the sector in the State.
Also, the Chairman Bodinga local government area, Shehu Dabaga, commended the Ministry for choosing his council to benefit from this laudable programme.
He assured the council total support to the programme which would lead to increase in meat and milk production in the area.
He added that his council will organise a sensitization campaign among the people to enable them understand the significance of the development.
The Chairman appeal for more state government intervention especially in the area of livestock inputs for effective actualisation of the programme.
In his vote of thanks, the District Head of Tauma, Alhaji Magaji Murtala thanked the State government particularly the Ministry of Animal Health and Fisheries Development for choosing his community.
He assured their total support and cooperation to ensure smooth take off of the programme for the benefit of his people and improvement of their agricultural activities.
Sokoto State Procures 400 Trucks of Fertilizer for farmers
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