The Niger State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has embarked on a high-level visit to various farming locations to promote best practices and enhance agricultural productivity in alignment with Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s agricultural revolution aimed at ensuring food security.
The visit, led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Matthew Ahmed, included inspections of the Niger Foods Green House along Minna-Bida Road, the Edozhigi irrigation scheme in Gbako Local Government Area, and a 57.3-hectare rice farming initiative in Kakankpagi, Katcha Local Government Area, which is open to interested permanent secretaries.
The inspection team, which included directors from the Ministry, engineers, and staff from the Niger State Agricultural Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA), focused on assessing the current practices of farmers and promoting innovative agricultural techniques. Dr. Ahmed emphasized the importance of educating farmers on the latest technologies to improve yields and agricultural practices.
He also highlighted the role of infrastructure provided by government initiatives, including the African Development Bank-funded ATASP-1 project, which constructed canals to enable farmers to grow crops three times a year. This, according to Dr. Ahmed, is part of the state’s commitment to enhancing food security, reducing poverty, and increasing food production in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Additionally, the state government plans to allocate 57.3 hectares of land for rice farming to permanent secretaries and directors, encouraging civil servants to engage in agriculture. Dr. Ahmed also assured farmers that the government is taking measures to address challenges posed by herders, including the establishment of the Ministry for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs and the Ministry of Homeland Security.
Malam Alhassan Umaru, Coordinating AGRA Intervention Programme in Niger State, emphasized that the inspection exercises are aimed at improving policy implementation, stakeholder coordination, and data monitoring of AGRA programs. The visits also focus on addressing farmers’ challenges and realigning strategies for smooth project implementation.
Farm Manager of Niger Foods Green House, Mrs. Caroline Aro, showcased the success of the Green House, which specializes in high-quality vegetable production. She reported a remarkable achievement with over a tonne of cucumber harvested in a short period, highlighting the potential of modern farming technologies.
Rice farmer Alhaji Yahaya Umaru shared the positive impact of the ATASP-1 project, stating that the construction of irrigation canals had allowed farmers to engage in three cycles of farming per year. Before the intervention, irrigation farming was not possible during the dry season. Umaru also noted that the support of ATASP-1 had increased rice yields to about three tonnes per hectare, which translates to 65 to 70 bags of 75kg rice per hectare. He expressed that farming, once considered a heritage, has now become a profitable business due to government interventions.
