How farmers contributed money for a farm for President Jonathan…Say ‘we await his visit to the farm’

The Minister of Water Resources has visited, the Minister of Agriculture has visited, and it is your turn to visit the farm.”These were the words of one of the farmers that forced a smile from President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa on the 20th of January, 2014; when the […]

The Minister of Water Resources has visited, the Minister of Agriculture has visited, and it is your turn to visit the farm.”
These were the words of one of the farmers that forced a smile from President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa on the 20th of January, 2014; when the president launched a N14 billion Dry Season Support Programme in Abuja.
It was a programme that brought dry season farmers across the nation, particularly northern Nigeria, which is domicile to many dry season irrigation projects in the country, to Aso Rock for the official launch.
Daily Trust visited  some of the irrigation projects to see how the farmers are faring haven been given N14 billion to support food production during the dry season; and to visit the farm where farmers have pooled their hard earned resources to cultivate many hectares for the man who promised them N14 billion.
At the 32,000 hectare Bakalori irrigation site with 36,000 farmers, rice farmers following the promise they made to the Minister of Agriculture, asked the authority of Rima River Basin Authority to allocate 3.7 hectares for President Goodluck Jonathan.
The farmers, under the aegis of Bakalori Water Users Association, contributed money to cultivate the land allocated to Mr President.
200 bags of rice were harvested from Mr. President’s Farm. The rice is under the custody of the Bakalori Irrigation project’s authority.
“Right now we are waiting for the Minister of Agriculture to get directive from Mr. President on the rice. As we speak with you, the rice is there in the store,” Aliyu Zaki Bafara, Secretary, Bakalori Water Users Association, said.
Asked whether they will continue to cultivate the land for the President, the secretary said: “Yes, we plan to expand the land and the crops to include wheat by the grace of God if only we continue to get the support from them,” Bafara said.
The farm is a coordinated venture among the relevant stakeholders at the project. The authority of the River Basin provided the land; the Federal Ministry of Agriculture supplied the fertilizer and financial assistance to purchase herbicides.
The (farmers) Bakalori Water Users Association paid for the seeds, tilling, labour, harvesting and transportation from the money contributed by their members.
Besides, the President’s farm is another farm they prepared for the Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari. The reporters were told that the governor cultivates both wheat and rice on the land. According to the farmers, the governor last season visited the farm on several occasions to assess the state of the farm and to encourage farmers at the site.
They called on the governor of the state to assist the farmers with adequate fertilizer at the Bakalori irrigation site to boost production, and provide a rice mill to process the rice.