Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has revealed that the State had attracted over $1billion investment in agricultural mechanisation and technology in the last six months of his administration.
Bago stated this on Friday when he paid a courtesy visit to the two Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security at the headquarters of the Ministry in Abuja.
He pointed out that Niger State has no reason to be poor as the State is endowed with arable land, water resources and dams for agricultural purposes.
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The Governor said: “Niger State has offered itself as pilot State for agricultural development in Nigeria.
“We have attracted over $1billion investment in agricultural mechanisation and technology in the last six months
“We have come here today to further reiterate Mr. President’s commitment to food security as a priority to production in agriculture, as it will create employment, conserve foreign exchange and ensure self- sufficiency in food production.
“We have no other way to go than to go the way of agriculture. Production, cultivation and animal husbandry and aquaculture are the main focus of our government
“As a state, we are sitting on a 76,000 square kilometres of arable land, four hydro- power dams, 94 earth dams and water dams with over 100 warehouses for storage of agricultural produce.
“So, we have no reason to be poor. Therefore, we are poised and committed to making sure that in this dry season farming, in the Federal Government’s quest to cultivate 500, 000 hectares, Niger State has provided one million hectares.
“So we have doubled the ambition of the Federal Government. For dry season farming, we are preparing 250,000 hectares. And as of today, we have prepared over 100, hectares.
“We have invested so much in irrigation and we are deploying irrigation pumps and some of them are renewable energy, as we understand the need for us to reduce carbon emission.”
Earlier, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said Niger State has the largest landmass in the country, with abundant water resources and vast arable land.
Kyari pointed out that the “fundamental governance issues is to translate these agricultural potentials into sustainable reality, against the backdrop of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda with great expectation for food security and related matters.”
He called for partnerships between the Federal Government and State Governments, adding that “We believe that a firm handshake between the two tiers of government at the minimum should produce salutary result in our collective quest for food security and attendant value chain benefits.”
While thanking the Governor for his efforts in agricultural development, the minister expressed confidence that through the continued collaboration and dedication of the two tiers of government that “we will overcome current challenges we face and achieve our collective goals for a more prosperous agricultural sector in Nigeria.”
