Radda invests N21bn in inputs, seeks NADF's partnership on agric promotion

Dikko Umar Radda, Governor of Katsina State, has said that his administration has invested heavily in various initiatives, including the purchase of over N21 billion worth of fertilisers, agricultural inputs and equipment such as tractors and planters used during the 2024 agricultural season.

The governor stated this in his remarks when he paid a congratulatory visit to Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of NADF, who expressed his desire to partner with Katsina State to enhance irrigation facilities and empower farmers to cultivate vast lands available for production, noted that a pilot project had been set up to be implemented at the Safke Dam in Katsina State, which would serve as a model for other projects in the Country.

Stating the importance of agriculture to the State and Nigeria as a whole, Governor Radda noted that over 90% of the population in the State engage in agricultural activities.

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He said, “When you invest in agriculture, you are investing in about 90% of your people, who are living in abject poverty in the rural areas, who have no means of support.

“That is why Kastina State last year alone, bought fertiliser for over N21 billion, over 400,000 bags of fertiliser, which we distributed to every Polling unit in the State. As we are all aware 90% of my population in Kasina State are into agriculture and its value chain.

“Even our MSMEs in Katsina, 90% or more of them are into agricultural enterprises, from production to processing to being on the table, so there is nothing we will do to support our people than to support them in agricultural enterprise.

“In fact, we did a baseline survey for all the farmers in Kasina State, we tried as much as possible to create an agricultural development programme unit, which is saddled with the responsibility of all interventions that are coming from development partners or other Agencies of Government”.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.