Farmers, who benefitted from the National Agricultural Land Development Authority NALDA in Gombe State, have commenced harvest from its first dry season wheat farms.
The 100 hectares land was cultivated in December 2021 by 100 women and youths drawn from the Papa community in Nafada with each person cultivating one hectare.
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NALDA provided two new tractors, agro-chemicals, fertilisers, irrigation pump, improved hand-held tools, land clearing and technical guidance.
The Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, who was represented by Engineer Olusegun Owolabi, Director of Engineering at the agency, while addressing the farmers, said the harvest was a proof that Nigeria can produce enough for domestic consumption.
“This gathering is the celebration of the outcome of partnership between NALDA and Gombe State Government late last year, as the Authority observed that wheat, an agricultural product, is the third item in the national importation list and resolved to kick start rewriting the history which lead to NALDA collaboration with some states including Gombe to produce wheat,” he said.
Ikonne while commending the collaborative efforts of the state government toward the project, said arrangement has been concluded to attract good off-taker for the farmers.
The commissioner of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in Gombe State, Alhaji Muhammed Magaji Gettado, said the farm would go a long way to improve the livelihoods of the farmers in the community.
Gettado noted that before the establishment of the farm, youth of the community at this particular period of the year migrate to neighbouring Taraba State and other neighbouring towns to make earns meet but now they are ground walking on NALDA’s dry season wheat farm.
The commissioner called on NALDA to take it a step further by providing harvest machines such as threshers for the farmers to enable them package a clean produce.
Alhaji Gettado said the level of commitment shown by the farmers would further encourage NALDA to do more for them, adding that the ministry of agriculture would provide threshers on the farm for proper threshing of the wheat.
Ms Rukayatu Usman, a female beneficiary of the project, who could not hide her excitement while speaking in Hausa language, said the project was a blessing to them in the community.
“NALDA did a lot for us, they cleared the land, gave us seeds, fertilisers (NPK and Urea), irrigation facilities, farm implements and technical support,” she said. She however wants more support in the area of threshing machines.
Meanwhile, the agency also inspected the ongoing construction work on its modern tomato market at Kordon, Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of the state.
The market has 18 buildings consisting of 16 blocks of 64 shops and 2 blocks of store already finished, a reservoir, borehole, office block, toilet facilities and fencing are all on the way in the market.
