Jigawa to partner with UN on agriculture

Governor Lamido explained that Jigawa State government and the FAO had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of agricultural activities in the state, including food security, saying the partnership would include both dry and irrigation farming. Lamido, who spoke to newsmen in Dutse, explained that during his two weeks working visit to some […]

Governor Lamido explained that Jigawa State government and the FAO had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of agricultural activities in the state, including food security, saying the partnership would include both dry and irrigation farming.

Lamido, who spoke to newsmen in Dutse, explained that during his two weeks working visit to some countries abroad, he went to the headquarters of the organisation in Rome, Italy, where he had a fruitful discussion with the director-general of FAO.

The governor disclosed that representatives of FAO would be in the state in no distant future with a view to finalise the arrangement on the MoU.

The governor noted that Jigawa had a vast and fertile land that had been grossly under-utilised by farmers over the years, pointing out that with proper utilisation the state could serve as the food basket of the country.

“I was in Rome, Italy, where I paid a visit to the corporate headquarters of FAO and we signed an agreement for the development of agriculture in our state,” said the governor.

He disclosed that in Jigawa state, there existed about 500,000 hectares of arable land lying fallow, regretting that out of this only a meagre 5,000  was being utilised, stressing that it was in realisation of this that his government decided to open the windows for the development of the sector.

He maintained that the state, which, by the CBN’s classification, was the poorest  in the federation, could  prosper only by the  use of agriculture and other economic activities. Governor Lamido, while expressing the determination of his administration to make the state one of most economically vibrant and enviable, also charged the people to reciprocate government’s gesture by fully participating and supporting all the programmes initiated by the regime.