Director of Atiku Support Group Senator Baraka Sani has called on farmers to support the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, saying his agricultural plan is unrivaled.
Baraka, who unveiled the agriculture sector plans of the Presidential candidate for smallholder farmers in the country said Atiku has passion for farming.
She spoke to newsmen yesterday at the first Kano state All Agricultural Value Chain And All Commodities Conference that took place at the metropolis.
Baraka explained that the farmers are gathered to be enlightened on their role and input on the agriculture sector plan of Atiku in Hausa while describing the gathering as a capacity building programme.
She said farmers form the bedrock of the economy which contributes to the gross domestic output and can therefore not be neglected in any development plan for the country.
“Some of the plans Atiku has for farmers include among others, increase in the funding of the sector from N41trillion in 2021 to N55 trillion in 2030, mechanization of the sector and the expansion of the total land mass used for farming in Nigeria.
“Part of Atiku’s plans for food security in Nigeria is that he will increase the funding that reaches the farmers from N41 trillion in 2021 to N55 trillion in 2030 by the grace of God.
“This will be achieved through enhancement of the dry season farming.
“For example, Nigeria has the capacity to farm 3.1 million hectares but presently only seventy thousand hectares is put to use in the country which is equivalent to about only 2 percent of what can be done.
“Expanding government investment in the sector through the provision of mordern warehouses, which will reduce post harvest loss of products” she stated.
With about 2000 farmers in attendance from several farmers associations across the Northwest, Baraka stated that Atiku plans to enhance food security in Nigeria and farmers have a role to play in that.
She therefore called on the farmers to support Atiku Abubakar in order to make the plans a reality.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Abdullahi Ali Maiburodi, who was represented by Alhaji Sani Sarkin Noma gave a breakdown of the plights of farmers in the region.
He expressed support for Atiku, describing the candidate as one of them. Maiburodi added that he believes Atiku will tackle the problems head on when he becomes Nigeria’s president.
