From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has diclosed that his administration boosted local rice production to three million tones in a year to meet the people’s demands on rice consumption.
Dr. Ganduje was speaking during the indigenous rice value-chain promotion programme organised by the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in partnership with R CONNECT, held at Africa House, Kano.
He attributed this progress to the Agricultural policies being introduced by his government, which he said had created significant impacts on farmers production capacity especially on local rice production.
” Today, I am proud to state that because of the activities and policies of this administration towards agriculture, rice production in Kano has reached the level of 3 million tones in a year ,” he stated.
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy who doubles as Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna stated that before the inception of his administration in 2015, rice production was very low but from 2015 upward, the production of rice in Kano grew with over 75 percent.
He explained that under the programme of Anchor borrowers alone, which is very popular, about 127,000 farmers had benefited in Kano from the inception of the programme.
Ganduje, however, lamented the habit of critics who perpetuate false statements with regards to government policies on agriculture in Nigeria, arguing that ” we in the sector and the farmers know very well about the good impacts of those policies to agricultural development.
“When these programmes started, State Governments were in contact with farmers to exermine this change. Associations become active which means, farmers have come to aids with the policies of government and what the government wants the farmers to do is to accept the policies and advise on how to do it best,” he added.
Ganduje assured that his administration would continue to do its best to the farmers in the aspects of technology, agricultural extension and seeds provision, stressing that issue of Fertilizer is no more a problem in Kano as the State performs well on Fertilizer production.
He further stated that, “while doing that on Fertilizer, the Federal Government came with Fertilizer intervention committee which is also doing well and brought about progress in the issue of Fertilizer production.”
Ganduje who described the programme as timely in promoting local rice production and patronage in Nigeria, called on the farmers to cooperate with CBN and those institutions that give loans to derive maximum benefits of such programmes.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono represented by the Kano State Chairman All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Alhaji Farouk Rabi’u Mudi appreciated the effort of the State in terms of its growing figures on rice production which rose from 25 percent to almost 100 percent.
He added that, “Kano State in general, in rice production is the highest in Nigeria because over 400,000 hectres are being produced in Nigeria but 127,000 hectres are being produced in Kano alone.”
At the end of the programme, prizes were presented to the winners of the indigenous rice junior chef cooking competition, Kano 2020.
