Sokoto’s strides in agribusiness

Transforming agriculture beyond the hitherto hand-to-mouth sustenance farming is something that is in the cards of the federal government’s economic transformation agenda. Indeed, with the turn in the prices of oil for the bad, the new sing song in the country has been diversification into non-oil sector, principally agriculture. However, the crux of the matter is making agriculture true mainstay of the economic by making it attractive, nay profitable business venture. It is here the present administration in Sokoto stands aside of the pack.

Aside its giant strides in education, there is no other area that the government of Sokoto State under Aminu Waziri Tambuwal recorded significant achievements than the agricultural sector. The administration has demonstrated full commitment to the development of agriculture, with a view to enhancing food security, eradicating poverty and boosting employment opportunities, especially among the youth.

The government started off by constituting a State Technical Committee on Immediate Framework for Agricultural Development, made up of professionals and other experts. The committee was charged with developing achievable targets and master-plan for harnessing the agricultural potentials of the state.

It then went on to conduct agricultural census to take stocks of the farmers in the state and ascertain the true situation of farming in Sokoto, before any step is taken to. This therefore gave policy makers a fair idea on what and what to do and how.

It is therefore not surprising that in just two years, the State has created no fewer than 27,166 jobs in the agricultural sector. These jobs were created through different interventions in sustainable agriculture, community infrastructure, rural enterprise development and many other initiatives. It has also supported 33,000 people through the promotion of improved crop production techniques, para-veterinary clinics as well as women and youth off farm activities.

In its commitment to revive agriculture to ensure it meets current and growing demands of the people, the administration prioritized mechanized farming and encouraged top political office holders and individual businessmen to own and operate large scale farms as a pilot scheme for the proper take-off of the planned mechanized farming.

While recently receiving the report of a committee headed by Alhaji Chiso Dattijo, a former deputy governor in the State, set up to revive agriculture in the State, Tambuwal stated that the new policy on agriculture will capture the needs of small and large scale farmers.

For an effective implementation of the report, experts from the World Food Programme, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and related agencies will be invited to make inputs.

Already, there is talk of partnership with the Federal Government and the World Bank on large irrigation scheme in the State. The plan is to use about N4.6billion for reclamation of farms in Kware irrigation scheme, with the State paying N460million and development partners paying the rest.

The scheme will include the construction of 175 water conveyance canals, 120 units of hydraulic structures, 55 kilometres of feeder roads, five units of primary schools, two primary healthcare centres, as well as two community markets. The overall aim is to enhance agricultural growth, provide job opportunities, tackle poverty among the populace, and also help in developing rice value chain by boosting local rice milling in the State.

Talking about boosting local rice production, 30,000 rice farmers were targeted for the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme for the 2017 dry season farming in the State. The State Government purchased 5000 water pumps worth N235million for sale to rice farmers at subsidized prices. Each water pump was bought at N47,000 but would be sold to farmers at N10,000 each. Meanwhile, a total of 5000 bags of 100kg of rice seeds had already been donated to the farmers.

Bear in mind that in February this year, Dangote Rice, a subsidiary of Dangote Group, launched its multi-million naira 25,000 hectares of rice out-grower scheme in Sokoto State. Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, unveiled a pilot project of 500 hectares by Goronyo dam, the second largest after Kainji, in Goronyo community.

During the ceremony, which was performed by the ever focused, vibrant and resourceful Tambuwal, seedlings were distributed to primary local farmers who will plant the seed after which Dangote Rice Company will purchase from them for milling and final processing. Sokoto State happens to be the second, after Jigawa, of 14 States where Dangote Rice plans to operate the out-grower scheme to empower local farmers and create job opportunities for community dwellers and reduce migration to the cities.

Later in March, Tambuwal launched the Fdama III agricultural scheme estimated to cost N1.56 billion. The program, which will cover the 23 local government areas of the State, was aimed at distributing agricultural inputs, equipment and agro-chemicals to 90 production clusters comprising 611 production groups across the crops value chain of rice, sorghum and tomato.

Given Tambuwal’s passion for the growth of agriculture in the State, you can rest assure that his administration would continue to provide support to the farmers through the provision of subsidized inputs and equipment. Enough fertilizer, seedlings, herbicide and pesticide have already been provided. Under him, the state government will continue to embark on people-oriented programmes aimed at supporting the entrepreneurial drive of its people.

By the end of May 2017, His Excellency Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State would have been two years in office. There is no doubt that within this period, Tambuwal has proved to be an astute manager of men and resources, and a most visionary leader whose giant strides have signalled a new beginning in the home of the Caliphate as seen through these interventions in agriculture, which is a major preoccupation of our people.

Arkilla is of the Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto