The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation project under its helping West African countries to establish rice seed industrial system initiative, implemented by Green Agriculture West Africa Limited (GAWAL) has distributed free foundation and breeder seeds to farmers in Auyo Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
Speaking during a field meeting, representative of GAWAL Engineer, Lawal Musa, revealed that the project was expected to harvest over 400 tons of improved breeder seeds and foundation seeds that will be distributed to rice farmers free in order to facilitate the spread of the improved seed that has higher yield.
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He explained that from testimonies of the over 30 farmers that have participated in the breeding of the improved variety seed, the seed has a higher yield capacity of over 60 bags per hectare. According to him, the project had also trained the participating farmers on best agricultural practices that will enable them produce, as well as manage their improved rice production capacity.
A community leader, Bulama Usman, stated that the intervention had changed the narratives in rice production in the area, adding that farmers have since adopted the newly introduced improved seeds, and farmers’ financial status has been uplifted as their yield grows.
