By Stephen Ojo
The Niger State government has announced that it is subsidising the price of fertiliser by 50 percent for the 2024 cropping season.
The State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago stated this on Tuesday at the flag-off sales and distribution of fertiliser and other farm inputs in Minna, the state capital.
“We are committed to achieving sustainable food security, reducing food costs, and addressing unemployment. To ensure affordability, we are subsidising fertiliser prices by 50%. We acknowledge security challenges but we are working to ensure uninterrupted farming activities”.
He explained that his administration has prioritised agriculture and invested in machinery and technology to boost productivity.
” In line with our ambitious New Niger Agenda, we have made significant progress in delivering tractors, harvesters, and other equipment to support small-scale farmers”.
Bago assured all farmers in the state of the administration’s commitment to prioritise agriculture as the key to achieving food security, reduction of high food costs, and addressing widespread unemployment, especially among the youths.
The State Commissioner of Agriculture, Musa Salihu Bawa Bosso, in an address of welcome, said the Ministry has identified over 16,000 hectares of land in Katcha, Wushishi, Agaie and Lapal Local Government Areas for the cultivation of Rice, Maize, Soybean and Sesame for interested civil servants,
He said that the Niger State Agricultural and Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA). is workdng closely with Niger Foods to address the needs of 20,000 smallholder farmer and 10,000 medium holders, who would have access to 1,000 power tillers and agro-input.
“As at today, Your Excellency, a bag of grains (Maize, Sorghum, Millet, Rice) Is sold between the range of N80,000 – N90,000, this is far beyond the reach of an ordinary Nigerlite, thus we are respectfully requesting His Excellency to support the resuscitation of the State’s Buffer Stock Programme which has been in comatose for several years. This will enable the Ministry mop up grains and stock in the State owned designated warehouses during harvest to be sold to the public at a time like this at a friendly price”, he appealed.