By correspondent in Minna.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for a wholistic approach by Governors, particularly those facing armed bandits attacks to end clash between herders and farmers, especially in northern parts of the country to bring to an end to hunger and starvation.
The President made the declaration during the official flag-off of the agricultural mechanisation revolution for food security emergency and commissioning of the remodeled domestic terminal of the Minna airport.
It is the responsibility of the government to save its citizenry from all forms of threats, but to guarantee national food security, state Governors should especially in the north must rise up to the challenge of hostilities by the two critical stakeholders farmers and herders.
“Let us reorganize and come up with ways to end roaming cows from eating up farm produce. Make provisions for tha cattle rearers, provide us with the land”, the President said as he encouraged Nigerians to be patient as something is being done to end their sufferings.
Meanwhile, as part of determination to Niger state government has expressed preparedness to construct a canal to harness water from the Shiroro dam which will irrigate 90,000 hectares comprising 236 km of irrigation canals and other associated engineering infrastructure with a view to significantly expand the state’s agricultural production capacity.
Niger state Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago who disclosed this at the official flag-off of the agricultural mechanisation revolution also said the state is open and ready to parter local and international organisations to meet its agricultural revolution target.
“We plan to establish industrial farm and processing estates across all the 25 local government areas through partnership models with partners from various countries, development finance institutions, the federal government, and other states with less agricultural potential or endowments”.
“Furthermore, through Niger Food Security and Logistics Limited, a state-owned enterprise, we have embarked on an ambitious land preparation and cultivation program across the 25 Local Government Areas within the domains of all the Eight Emirate Councils”, he said.
“It is therefore with great pride that I share with you our bold vision for the future of agriculture in Niger State. We are well positioned to produce 50 million metric tons of assorted food crops annually utilising about 3 million hectares by 2030”.
The Niger State, according to Governor Bago, intends to be the largest sub-national food exporter in Nigeria, adding that, “To achieve this, we are determined to attract investments, private sector equity, and loans totalling, 500 billion Naira annually over the next seven years”.
Edited by Dawud Ahmed.