The newly established Integrated Farm Estate in Suduje, Katsina State by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) is expected to generate over N1.7 billion in the first year, Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne has said
Prince Paul Ikonne made this known at the launch of the integrated farm estate commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina on Monday, which was monitored by Nigerian Tribune on the National Television Authority (NTA)
Ikonne stated that the integrated farm estate comprises 40 poultry pens with a capacity of over 400,000 birds, Fish ponds with a capacity of 200,000 fish, Cow and Goat pens with a capacity of 500 animals, rabbit pens with a capacity of 3,000 rabbits, bee apiary with a capacity of 540 litres of honey per harvest, crop farming, packaging and processing zones.
He said that the 100 hectares Integrated Farm Estate has a school, clinic and a residential area, with 120 units of one-bedroom apartments for the farmers and their families to live and work on the farm.
He said when replicated across the country will increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reduce unemployment and will go a long way towards achieving food security.
Ikonne further explained that the integrated farm has a processing and packaging zone for fish, chicken and pepper, he added farmers from outside the estate will also have their products, especially pepper processed and packaged so they can get more value.
“These farmers are being trained on best agricultural practices in crop farming, livestock, poultry, rabbits and fish farming. Sustainable development is the only way to promote rational utilisation of resources and environmental protection”.
“The participating farmers are from 13 communities, namely Suduje, Madobi, Kaya, Sharawa, Sukwanawa, Dadin Kowa, Daberan, Benga, Kurneji, Zari, Mazuji, Tambu and Dannakola”, Ikonne said.
“The entire farm has the capacity to generate over N1.7b in the first year. This farm has the capacity to engage 1,500 women and youth directly.
He said the Authority has designed a management system where Jaiz Bank will manage the entire facility with a team of NALDA’s professionals for continuity and sustainability.
While noting that the integrated farm estate is deliberately designed to accommodate, empower and position a new set of 1,500 agro entrepreneurs every year from this category, he explained that the program is under NALDA’s National Young Farmers Scheme (NYFS), which President Buhari launched in November 2020.
“The Integrated Farming System (IFS) holds a special position as nothing is wasted, the by-product of one system becomes the input for another.
“With the farm’s poultry, fishery, rabbitry and beekeeping unit, about 95 per cent of the nutritional requirement of the system is self-sustained through resource recycling”, he added.
“The NALDA Integrated Farm Estate is designed with a complete production chain for food and livestock, an irrigation system so that farmers will have three production cycles in a year.
“This will attract and keep young people busy in crop and livestock production all year round,” he added.
The Executive Secretary said the 100 hectares for the Integrated Farm Estate was donated by the Katsina State government.
Also speaking, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele said the Bank would partner with NALDA to replicate similar projects in other parts of the country.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Buhari Urges MTN For Quality Service, Downward Price Review In Cost Of Data, Other Services
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday at State House Abuja urged the MTN Group to make the available top-of-the-range service to its Nigerian subscribers… NALDA’s integrated farm estate in Katsina to generate N1.7bn ; NALDA’s integrated farm estate in Katsina to generate N1.7bn ; NALDA’s integrated farm estate in Katsina to generate N1.7bn ; NALDA’s integrated farm estate in Katsina to generate N1.7bn.
and then