Food production: Jigawa govt prepares for dry season farming

The Jigawa state government, in its effort to ensure the availability of food at cheaper prices, has said that necessary arrangements have been made to kick-start dry-season farming in Maigatari and other Sahel areas of the state.

This was just as the state government stated that mini-dams would already be provided in the affected areas to facilitate year-round farming.

The governor of the state, Alhaji Umar Namadi, made this known in a statement signed by the Special Assistant Media Affairs to the governor, Hajiya Zainab Rabo Ringim,a copy of which was made available to press on Thursday in Kano

She added that the essence was to boost self-sufficiency in food production.

The statement disclosed that Governor Namadi, speaking on the heels of his recent business trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said foreign partners are set for the final putsch.

She said, “Some of the proposals were based on the need to introduce irrigation services where there is none by providing mini dams sporadically and boreholes to boost dry season farming.”

Hajiya Rabo further stated that there is an effort to “upgrade and expand our local markets, especially Maigatari Market, which harbours one of the largest cattle and animal businesses in the West African region.”

She added that “the details of the meeting, however, entail requests for grants and other non-interest loan facilities.”

While commenting on the Maigatari Export Free Zone, Malam Namadi was quoted as having revealed a plan to reposition it to realise its potential.

He vowed to ensure standards in packaging local agricultural products to boost the value chain and market guarantee for dealers and exporters.

The Maigatari free trade zone, a key economic asset to Jigawa State holding huge economic opportunities, is located within the fringes of the Nigeria/Niger border.