Kano Votes N20bn For Rural Dams

Kano State government has said it is investing N20 billion in the provision of seven smaller dams, each containing about 1.3 billion litres, in rural local government areas for social and irrigation purposes to boost agricultural production in the state.

The commissioner of Agriculture and natural resources, Dr. Danjuma Mahmoud, made this known on Wednesday during a two-day review workshop on the implementation framework of seed policy organised by the Nigerian Seed Industry Practitioners Forum in collaboration with propcom+, Harvestplus, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and other partners.

Dr. Mahmoud, who was represented by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Bashir Sanusi, also emphasised the commitment of the state government towards agricultural development projects aimed at improving the lives and livelihoods of its citizens.

He added that a huge investment has equally been made in the provision of about 200 agricultural tools and equipment, such as power tillers, combine harvesters, tractors, among others, to be distributed among smaller groups of farmers.

While soliciting more partnerships from other stakeholders in improving agriculture, productivity, storage, and marketing, he posited that the state is aligning its efforts with the national policy on seed reform and strengthening state policies, supporting reforms in seeds, livestock, and agri-mechanisation.

In his remarks, the Country Manager of HarvestPlus, Nigeria, Dr. Yusuf Dollah, explained that the meeting is a gathering of key stakeholders in the seed sector aimed at improving the implementation of the existing state seed policy, which has been slow despite being in place for some time.

He said the goal is to form a coalition to address challenges and gaps within the Nigerian seed system before the policy’s expiration, which is targeted around 2027. The aim is to achieve significant progress, ideally 70-80% implementation.

Also speaking, the director of seed information, Data management, and capacity building from the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), Dr. Oluwole Towolawi, highlighted a lack of synergy, inadequate funding, or late fund release as major barriers to policy performance.

He noted that the implementation framework for the 2022 national Agricultural Seed policy guidelines aims to increase the availability of quality seed, reduce counterfeiting, and reduce childhood and maternal malnutrition by 40% through the adoption of biofortified and climate-resilient varieties, which will help reduce the incidence of poverty in smallholder farming.