From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State government has resolved to partner Integrated Rice and Fish Diversification Project (IRFDP) for improvement of rice and fish productions in the state.
Governor Nasir Idris stated this during a visit by the team of IRFDP in Birnin Kebbi. He expressed the state government’s readiness for the partnership in order to boost agricultural productions in the state.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Bala Tafida Yauri, told the team that “agriculture is among priorities of his administration”, and assured them of government’s commitment towards the success of the project. He also implored them to expand the programs to cover all the 21 local governments in the state.
IRFDP’s team leader, Prof.Emmanuel Ajayi, said the project started in 2020 with Kebbi and Ebonyi states with a view to diversifying agriculture particularly rice and fish farming.
He said IRFDP as a project that gains it support from USAID in collaboration with University of Ibadan, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto and partners was all about integrating fish with rice production.
He said the project chose Kebbi State as a leading state in rice and fish production in the country, followed by Ebonyi State.
“The project was also aimed at improving food security in the country. Under the project,stakeholders in the state were already trained on the diversification of rice and fish farming using technology.”
He then sought government’s support and cooperation towards achieving the set objective of the project.