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…. mobilizes 30,000 rice farmers for dry season farming
From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
To ease the prices of food in Kebbi State, the state Government have paid N350 million counterparts funds to Rural Access and Agriculture Marketing Programme(RAAMP) and setting up two agro logistics hubs in Argungu and Fakai Local Government Areas.
State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in the state, Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu confirmed this while speaking with newsmen Birnin Kebbi.
He explained that the payment of the counterparts funds was to enable the state to mobilize about N20 billion under the RAAMP which were designed to links major agriculture produce areas,farms settlements to the towns and cities to reduce the cost of production,thereby reduce high cost of food.
According to him, ” one of our achievements is the payment of courterpart funds to Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Programme (RAAMP) to the tune of N350,000,000.00.
“Under the RAAMP programme,240km roads were identified for spot improvement, upgrading and routine maintenance. And so far,contract process for the award of the first phase have being concluded and awarded”.
Mu’azu who noted that the actions and planning of the state government are targeting reduction of prices of goods sold in the state, said,the two agro logistics hub to be sited in both Argungu and Fakai Local Government Areas would further forces food prices to fall.
“The administration of Dr. Nasir Idris is set to construct two agro- logistics hubs at Argungu town, Argungu local Government,Mahuta,Fakai LGA. All these strategies are to force the prices of goods and services back to normal in the state.
” Already,Wacot Rice mill in Argungu and GBC food in Gafara have been identified to be used for the processing of onion powder and pepper powder”.
The Commissioner also disclosed that 30,000 rice farmers,7,500 maize farmers and 2,000 cassava farmers have been mobilize to participate in the Federal Government dry season farming and would be assisted by the state government.
He said that the state government have procures 10,000 units of LNG converted irrigation pumps,300 power tillers to farmer’s Co-operative group, distribution of 300 motorized pump Sprayer to farmer’s Co-operative among others.
” All these efforts of the state government are to diversify the revenue generation of the state,thus increasing IGR,increase foreign exchange earnings to the Country and boost the production of high quality product through deployment of international best practices in production and marketing.
“These will also boost production of other potential export crops in the state,improve the income of producers and exporters thereby reducing poverty, and improving livelihood of households and generation of employment opportunities all year round to our teeming youth in the state”.
