…as Niger, Gombe to leverage agric for jobs creation
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa says the state has concluded plans for wheat farming that will make Nigeria a global wheat hub.
The governor, who noted that Jigawa alone has a total of 40,000 hectares dedicated to wheat, said the state can produce one million tonnes annually at the rate of 4000 tonnes per hectare.
The governor stated this after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, adding that the state has 40,000 out of the 120,000 hectares of land dedicated to wheat farming in Nigeria.
“Jigawa State was given 40,000 hectares. This is an honour done to us and we feel that it’s good to come and appreciate Mr President and also to brief him on how far we are going with that project.
“Jigawa State has a FADAMA land of over 400,000 hectares which we can cultivate both in rainy and dry seasons.
“We are working on plans to export wheat over time. We’re doing the first one, and after this one, we’re going for rice, and the next one, we’re going to wheat that’s how the cycle will continue. “We’re going to have food sufficiency and also have surplus for export. Four tonnes per hectare and we’re doing 40,000 hectares. This 40,000 are the ones for which we have received support from the Federal Government
Governor Umar Bago, of Niger while also speaking after the visit to President Tinubu, said Niger State was leading in the food security initiative of Mr. President. He added that the “state is working on some initiatives to cultivate a total of 250,000 hectares during the dry season
He said, “We already signed an agreement with some companies for off-take and just to keep him up to speed with what we’re doing in agriculture.”
He disclosed that the state was partnering with the Federal Government on the development of 500,000 hectares, under the food security initiatives this year.
“Niger State has also provided itself as a pilot state for that project, and we are also ambitious to match the Federal Government 500,000 for 500,000”
Also speaking, Governor Inua Yahaya of Gombe, said he was at the Presidential Villa, to update the president on technical issues, especially coming through 2023 and into 2024. And to see that we address issues after passing the 2024 budget into law.
