Niger state government in collaboration with the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is set to boost dry season rice farming across five local government areas of the state.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello disclosed this in his address at the end of the 2nd Niger Dry Season Agricultural Inputs and Agro-Equipment Fair on Sunday in Minna.
He said the collaboration would see the establishment of 20 demonstration plots on dry-season rice cultivation across the target local government areas this dry season.
According to him, AGRA would be working with 2000 farmers in the initiative in addition to the 4,500 already captured through FADAMS III Additional Financing, IFAD-VCD and ATASP-1 among others.
He said the state government also planned to use the World Bank Assisted Project of Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria TRIMING already being implemented in three Northern states as catalyst for transforming various Irrigation schemes in the state.
Gov Bello noted that the theme of the inputs and equipment fair, “improved agro technologies for sustainable income generation, food and nutrition security” aimed to create awareness on the need to adopt cultivation and utilization of staple crops fortified with essential micronutrients for improving good health.
He appreciated the support by the German Development Cooperation, under its Sustainable Economic Development Programme (GIZ-SEDIN) which aimed at promoting the development of Medium Small Micro-Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state through its rice mechanisation value chain project.
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