By Haruna Usman, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Government has evolved Special Programme for Ramadan Feeding under which foodstuffs and grains would be distributed free to the people.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu, announced this at the weekly Ministerial Press Briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture, in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.
Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu, said the gesture was in the spirit of compassion and benevolence of Governor Nasir Idris within the context of the welfarist policy of incumbent administration.
Furthermore, the government has finalised process to supply petrol free to farmers engaged in irrigation farming to lessen the burden of production cost and help them to increase yields.
Enumerating the achievements recorded in the agricultural sector by the present administration, under the leadership of Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, the Commissioner narrated that the governor has launched the “Kaura Agricultural Development and Growth Agenda, KADAGE”, aimed at improving the production of food and cash crops with emphasis on rice cultivation to strengthen the leading position of Kebbi State as the rice hub of Nigeria.
He informed journalists that the administration has paid counterpart fund to the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Programme, RAAMP, of three hundred and fifty million naira.
Under the scheme, 240 kilometres of road have been identified for improvement, upgrading and routine maintenance to provide access to farmers to transport farm produce to various destinations.
In addition, 30,000 farmers in Kebbi State are participating in dry season irrigation farming of the Federal Government in rice production, 7,500 farmers in maize production while 2,000 farmers are taking part in cassava cultivation.
The Commissioner said the state government would also construct two Agro logistics hub in Argungu and in Mahuta, Fakai local government.
