By Daniel Tyokua
The Zamfara state government has approved 130 hectares of land to boost cotton farming across the seventeen emirates of the state.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser, Zamfara state Directorate of Accelerated Cotton Development (ZAMDACOD), Alhaji Abdullahi Maiturare, on Sunday, said the land was secured as a remedy to the shortage of land for farming occasioned by insecurity in the state.
The adviser who is also chairman of the state project management team, stated that the state government has secured the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approval to finance 60,000 farmers through their commodity associations.
According to the statement, “it would be recalled that during the governor’s campaign, the peoples and masses Governor Dr. Bello Mattawallen had promised to revive the agricultural sector with emphasis on cotton production.
“This necessitated the reorganization of the Directorate of Accelerated Cotton Development known as ZAMDACOD and assigned with the responsibility to pilot the activities of the Directorate.”
It explained that there has been wide range of consultations with the government, partners and the private sector on how to cross the probation in which the Governor during the swearing emphasised.
Maiturare pointed out that, “the success story as at today is that the state government under the leadership of Dr Mattewallen has secured the CBN’s approval to finance 60,000 farmers in the state through their commodity associations.
“Under these arrangement 30,000 farmers each would be drawn from cotton and rice farmers. Arrangement to that effect is in top gear. Cotton farmers are to be treated under the National Cotton association of Nigeria (NACATON0 while the rice farmers are to be handled by the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).
“In order to achieve the success of the programe and a remedy ro the shortage of land for farming occasioned by insecurity and allied factors, the State Government has dedicated 130,000 hectares of farm land in the seventeen emirates of the state. Equally the state government in collaboration with the Raw Material Research and Development Council has secured 4.5 tons of cotton seed suitable for our farmlands which was estimated to cover 2,000 hectares.
“The gestures are geared towards supporting cotton farmers with improved variety seed free of charge. This is in addition to the allocation of two utility vehicles to the Directorate by the state government,” he added.
Maiturare commended the Zamfara State Governor for reviving the cotton production and praised his commitment to influence the revival of the ailing textiles industries and other indigenous cotton ginneries in the state and charged the farmers to reciprocate the gesture by being supportive of all government policies and programmes.
