Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has said the state is exploring about 3 million hectares of arable land with enormous water bodies , 23 grazing reserves and 94 forest reserves to increase agricultural production for food security in Nigeria.
He stated this yesterday at the 2024 World Food Day, a day set aside by United Nations with the theme “Safer Foods and Better Health.”
The governor represented by the deputy governor Comrade Yakubu Garba said, “We have made significant investments in the sector by procuring machinery and technology for enhanced land cultivation and preparation.”
On this ground he said farm implements “such as 1000 John Deere Tractors, 500 Case Tractors, 500 units of Combined harvesters, 10,000 Hand Tillers for smallholder farmers, 10,000 Solar Irrigation Water Pumps, and 1000 Pivot Irrigation Systems have been purchased for large farming.”
The governor stated that the state has secured approval for 3000 hectares of land to be used as an Agro-processing Free Zone at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, Minna.
Consequently, he added that Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) led by the Niger Foods and Logistics Company has been set up for enhanced agricultural produce for sustainable food security in the state.
He explained that the state is collaborating with several international partners to improve and modernise agri-value chain activities and boost the productivity of major crops, including rice, cassava, maize, and sorghum.
Governor Bago said the partnerships focused on human capacity building, infrastructural development, and promoting value addition.
