By Samuel
The Akwa Ibom State Government has officially flagged off its farmers’ enumeration exercise.
The exercise is being executed by the Akwa Ibom Investment Company Limited (AKIICORP).
Akwa Ibom State Governor Emmanuel Udom, who made the disclosure in his office in Uyo, noted that the programme sought to help farmers understand agricultural activities as an important profitable business.
The governor explained that a change in attitude towards farming and agricultural endeavours was necessary for the agriculture sector to become a major player in the economy.
“Agriculture would become a major driver of the state’s economy thereby bringing to an end the overdependence on government for survival,” he added.
Udom further explained that the scheme was formed to address the need to harness resources in the state towards wealth creation through agriculture.
The governor, who praised AKIICORP for driving the administration’s vision for the agricultural sector, also reassured of his support for the realisation of the project’s full-cycle food value chain project.
The project, he added, will help to ensure the availability of staple food across the state.
On his part, Executive Director of AKIICORP, Pastor Umo Eno, pointed out that the essence of the enumeration exercise was to encourage the elite class as well as the teaming youths to embrace agriculture as a business.
Eno noted that agriculture was an important sector for economic recovery and growth post-COVID-19 as nosedived oil revenue.
The executive director disclosed that the enumeration exercise commenced on the 25th of May 2020 across the 31 local government areas of the state with about 1500 enumerators deployed to cover almost 2500 villages in the state.
Eno explained, “The data collation when completed will serve as a major customer base for the about to be commenced Ibom FADAMA microfinance bank.
“At the successful completion of this exercise, we intend to encourage farmers to produce specific food crops like cassava in commercial quantities.
“The government will offtake and supply them to all the Garri processing mills in the state to produce Garri, Fufu and starch, among others, at affordable prices.”
” alt=”” aria-hidden=”true” />” alt=”” aria-hidden=”true” />” alt=”” aria-hidden=”true” />
By Hussein Yahaya, Vincent A Yusuf
Sweet potato offers huge prospect for scaling up incomes of smallholder farmers amid various challenges facing the farmers in the producing belt. Daily Trust spoke with a number of farmers, who admitted that sweet potatoes contribute significantly to their financial well- being. For many consumers, it is an affordable source of food and vitamins for many households across the country compared to the more expensive Irish potato. In Zamfara, Nasarawa , Abuja and the Zaria axis of Kaduna State, sweet potato is becoming widely cultivated because of the emerging markets in Port Harcourt, Lagos and other parts of country. In Plateau State, although Irish potato is most widely cultivated, many farmers are taking advantage of the market to diversify production into sweet potato.
Over the years, Zamfara State has been a major producer of sweet potato from where it is being supplied to various states of the federation. However, the growing insecurity in the state is scaring many buyers from the state while farmers are struggling to meet the consumers’ apatite. The production, according to the farmers, is in two phases, wet and dry seasons, which makes the produce to be available all year round.
One of the farmers from Talatar Mafara LGA, Bilyaminu Mukhtar, said sweet potato has been a source of livelihood for many farmers in the state. “Some of us have access to water bodies like that of Bakalori produce potato in both wet and dry seasons. That is why we are capable of producing the crop all year round. “Before the prevalence of banditry in the state, buyers from every part of the country met farmers in their farms to purchase the produce,” said Bilyaminu Mukhtar.
He added that some of the buyers now prefer to transact with the farmers through the banks or buying agents in the state and the goods were sent to their respective destinations. “Banditry, though has significantly in Zamfara, it is still threatening the business of sweet potato. Buyers from outside the state contact dealers and agents in the villages to source the produce for them and later pay through the bank accounts of the farmers or the agents,” he added. Another farmer from Shinkafi area, Ibrahim Wakala, said they cannot do without potato as they plant it alongside maize and millet.
“Farmers here in Shinkafi and Tsafe area have no irrigation facilities, therefore, they resort to mix – cropping of potato with millet or maize. Before the two cereals mature, we plant potato in between them which takes over the farm immediately after the harvest of the millet or maize,” Wakala said. The booming sweet potato business Daily Trust spoke with Hayatu Hussaini, a potato dealer at Lambar Bakura in Zamfara State. He said the main points of potato sale in the state are Mafara, Lambar Bakura, Bakalori, Jangero and Galadi. “From those points, about ten trailers loaded with potato take off weekly to port Harcourt, Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja, especially during harvest periods around September and January for wet and dry seasons respectively.” He also said during those periods of harvest, a 100kg bag of the produce sells between N1,500 to N2,000, but in April when the produce is scarce, it sold at not less than N4,000.
A farmer in Nasarawa State, one of the growing states, Mr Tailer Ayuba, who cultivates the crop every year in Doma, said he has found potato to be a very cheap crop to cultivate with little or no fertilizer application, adding that it has improved his income, especially during the early days of harvest. “Sweet potato is one of the first crops I cultivate every year. It is the first thing I harvest. At harvest, a bag sells between N4,800 and N5,500 in Doma and Lafia,” he said. Mr. Baruwa Madu trades in the product, buying from farmers in Doma, Lafia and Obi axis and takes it to Port Harcourt and Lagos. He said the crop does better in those markets.
Others said even at the Maraba Market, potato has good value as many of the sellers who cannot access the Lagos, Port Harcourt and other markets take theirs to the Maraba and other markets around Abuja. In Abuja, a 100 kg bag of sweet potato costs between N6,000 and N7,000. One of the sellers of the produce in Bwari, said they take delivery from as far as Zamfara State as well as Nasarawa and Zaria in Kaduna State. He said the produce price is fluctuating at the moment because of the present situation of the country. A buyer, Mrs Nkechi Fred, said apart from its nutritional value, she likes sweet potato because it is relatively cheap. ‘’Look at it, this big bag is sold for less than N6,000, you can’t near Irish portato with that amount. In Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, a 100kg bag of tomato is sold for N8,000. A seller in the state told our correspondent that they buy the produce from Plateau and Zamfara states at between N5,500 and N6,000.
At Old Dakata market in Kano State, a 100kg bag of sweet potato is sold at N8,000 at present. Our correspondent in the state, however, said the same bag wass sold at N4,000 before the present situation in the country. In Lagos State, a 100kg bag now sells for N11,000 A seller on Red Street, Jakande Estate in Isolo, Lagos, Faruq Musa, said they bought the produce from Zaria in Kaduna State at between N5,500 and N6,000 but that the cost of transporting it is huge. Chief Dan Okafor is the National President of Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria. He said the crop has recently gained more attention because of a range of value chains which include chips confectioneries, and others. According to him, the release of new varieties like the orange-fleshed sweet potato which is rich in beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A is a game changer to the production of potatoes.
By
Farmers in Iseyin, Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State have commended Governor Seyi Makinde for considering the Ipapo-Iseyin Farm Settlement as beneficiary of the state’s intervention.
The farmers in the Oke-Ogun region claimed they have contributed 70 per cent of farm products to markets in the South West region of the nation as the country is under Covid-19 lockdown.
Oyo State government recently announced that work would begin on the Akufo, Eruwa and other farm settlements in the state in order to booster their capacity.
The Chairman, Ipapo-Iseyin Farm Settlers Association, Mr Kazeem Alabi said the association reached out to the state government when they realized that the Oke-Ogun region was not mentioned among the farm settlements that would benefit from a loan the state administration just got to finance the farm settlements.
Alabi hinted that the body was assured that government would consider the Ipapo-Iseyin Farm Settlement, despite that it was not officially mentioned earlier, adding that presently, Oke-Ogun region was producing 70 percent of food being transported and sold in the South-West of Nigeria.
“We were sad when it was announced that Oyo State government picked farm settlements to utilize the loan secured recently by the present administration, we then proceeded to Ibadan to know why it was so, there we were assured that government would look into the issue and Ipapo-Iseyin Farm Settlement would be taken care of, though this was unofficial, but we have had series of visitations by officials of the government at the settlement to uphold their assurance.
“We want to use this period and medium to specially thank the State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde for having us in mind in the scheme of things, we are grateful.
By Hussein Yahaya
Smallholder farmers and local processors can make more money by growing and processing essential oil yielding plants. Essential oils, also known as volatile oils, are derived from plants like orange, mint, eucalyptus, citronella, pepper mint, lemon grass, clove, lime, spearmint, lavender, rose, cedar wood, among others.
They are highly concentrated volatile substances extracted from various parts of certain plant species, each with specific therapeutical effects. The volatile liquids are very complex molecular substances and extremely potent. Loading.. Copy video url Play / Pause Mute / Unmute Report a problem Language Mox Player Essential oil is not actually oil because it contains no fatty substance. It only shares a poor solubility in water with oils. Essential oils are obtained by several processes, which include steam distillation, cold pressing, extraction or maceration.
Experts believe that if the production of essential oil is given the desired attention, these plants can be easily grown by the farmers, from where the processor can source its oil raw material. Its uses Essential oils have various industrial applications. They are used in substantial quantities in food processing and flavoruing industries, most especially in sweet meals factories producing biscuits, cakes, icings, mincemeat, pies and sandwich fillings. Canning factories use them for flavouring and processing fish, meat, sauces and soup. It is also used extensively in the beverage industries, most especially in the soft drink industries as primary inputs, flavouring or additives. It also has a variety of pharmaceutical applications. The perfumery and cosmetics industries use essential oils as predominant sources of fragrance in perfumery and cosmetic products like creams, lipsticks, lotions, other beauty products.
Essential oils are also key raw material for toiletry products, such as baby preparations, bath preparations, laundry soaps, room sprays, deodorants and antiseptics. Nigeria loses billions to import essential oil – RMRDC According to a document from the Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC), despite the availability of basic raw materials (citrus, eucalyptus plant, lemon grass, flowering plants such as gardenia, ginger, guava) in Nigeria, the production of essential oils is negligible and its bulk used in industries are imported. According to the director-general of the Council, Professor Ibrahim Hussaini Doko, they are imported under HS Code 33, based on industrial applications and product segment. He said between 2016 and 2017, N61,067,925.00 worth of essential oil produced from orange peels were imported into the country, lemon oil imported within the period was N72,574,109.00. “Other types of essential oils imported into Nigeria were Mentha oil, N222,655,364.00; other mints oil, N22,154, 035; Citronella oils, N54,665,373.00; Resinoids, N182,292,905.00 and other essential oils of aqueous distillates worth about N566,523,760.00 within the same period respectively,’’ he said. According to him, this underscores the need to promote investment in the production of essential oils in Nigeria.
Professor Doko said despite the availability of arable land for the production of essential oil yielding plants in Nigeria, more than 95 per cent of essential oils required locally are met through imports. This has led to lack of development in the production of raw materials, processing, packaging and marketing of essential oils in the country. FG moves to promote local production of essential oil Experts are of the opinion that essential oil yielding plants can easily be grown and processed by small-holder farmers and processors. One of the experts, Mr. Sunday Oyefusi, urged the Federal Government to step up efforts that would encourage local production of the oil in the interest of farmers, processors and other actors in the value-chain. In 2018, the RMRDC, an agency of the Federal Government responsible for the development of raw materials in the country, initiated a project to identify all essential oil producing plants in all the ecological zones in Nigeria. The project, according to the director-general of the Council, has reached an advanced stage, and when completed, adequate information would be made available to the investing public and farmers on essential oil plant species indigenous to Nigeria. After this exercise, the Council plans to collaborate with relevant research institutes to isolate and determine the type and quality of essential oils in all the essential oil bearing plant species. But Professor Doko noted that at present, only ginger had received serious attention as the RMRDC had distributed improved planting materials to farmers in Kaduna State. Also, farmers have been trained on agricultural best practices for ginger cultivation in the North-West part of the country.
This development has led to increase in yield per ha of ginger farms in the state. Work has continued on the production of improved varieties of other plant species that have the oils in adequate and sustainable quantities, he said. “In our effort to develop essential oils industry in Nigeria, the Council collaborated with the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria to design and fabricate essential oils extraction plant. “The Council also partnered with Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia to design and fabricate essential oil extraction plant. The test run for the two plants showed that they are technically feasible and economically viable, with 40 per cent return on investment and a payback period of two to three years. . “The NARICT plant uses kerosene as fuel and has an output capacity of 0.864L/h while the Nasarawa Poly plant uses gas and has an output capacity of 0.094L/h. Both plants are using eucalyptus and lemon grass as raw materials. “The Council is presently working with the University of Lagos for a new design and development of a small-scale essential oil extraction plants. The project has reached an advanced stage; and it is my hope that before the end of the year, the locally designed and fabricated essential oil plant would be ready for commissioning,’’ he informed.
By AgroNigeria
With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting global food production and trades, Nigeria must do all it can to avert a food crisis in 2021, agricultural experts have cautioned.
There are concerns that the pandemic may spark a hunger crisis in 2021, which could be severe for developing countries to handle.
Agric Experts have however called on the Federal Government to cushion the impact of the pandemic on agriculture by providing inputs, credit facilities, and an enabling environment for the food system to thrive.
In a report contained in the Guardian, the experts believe that a lockdown on activities could greatly impact rain-fed farming activities and could lead to poor productivity in the long run.
Plant breeder at the Institute of Agricultural Research & Training (IAR&T), Prof. Samuel Olakujo, warned that the COVID-19 pandemic is already adversely affecting farming activities and posing threats to food production.
On the delay in cultivating, he said, “Farmers should by now be preparing the land, sourcing for genuine but quality inputs, planning what to grow, when and where to grow them. They should be meeting with the off-takers of their produce and seal the agreement”
He stressed that all desk officers working on one agricultural project or the other should be exempted from lockdown so as to attend to the real assignments on farming, inputs, and extension because the time for wet season farming is now.
“Procurement of seeds and other inputs the government is planning to distribute is now since agricultural operations and activities are time-bound.
“Distributing such inputs after May 2020 is as good as not purchasing it, because only about 35 percent of such will be useful this year, especially for farmers in the Northern region.
“The Federal Government should also be meeting with grain aggregators for storage in the grain reserves and not waiting till December during harvesting.”
On his part, Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Sanni Lateef, said that agricultural activities have been halted by the COVID-19 scourge and is affecting the cultivation of various agro-commodities during this wet season. He warned that a food crisis was looming if pro-active measures were not taken.
“If we are lucky to have total cooperation of Nigerians to flatten the curve and reduce the pandemic gestation period, then we can gain from planting in the third to the fourth quarter of 2020. Otherwise, there will be serious food insecurity in 2021.”
“Our emerging seed and SMEs entrepreneurs need to be financially supported with funds and logistics to provide food for the masses. This will reduce the cost of basic food crops. We need to avert the likely famine facing us, soon,” he said.
For Prof. Damian Chickwendu, the Team Lead of Cultivating New Frontier in Agriculture (CNFA), the government must be firm in fast-tracking agricultural activities by providing enough facilities for farmers during this pandemic.
“Just as the government is ensuring that all the necessary things and conditions needed to halt the spread of COVID-19 are in place, they should also ensure that all inputs needed for the fast-approaching farming season are in place.
“The usual plans to ensure input availability (including agricultural credit) at the right time should continue,” he stressed
By Vincent A. Yusuf
As the 2020 farming commence, wet season farmers will not be part of the Federal Government’s mechanisation programme. This is coming on the heels of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s announcement that its mechanisation programme would begin in the next six months; apparently in September, 2020. September usually marks the commencement of wet season harvest across the country. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, revealed this recently during the South–South Agro–Industrial Inspection/Town Hall Meeting held in Calabar, Cross River State
Alh. Mohammed said, “This mechanisation revolution is going to be kick-started in 632 local government areas in the next six months across the country and will be private sector-driven.” While emphasing the need for the programme, he assured on the success of the intervention and Nigeria’s strategic advantages. He said, “We have a huge population and massive market which can be primed to achieve the goals and objectives of the mechanisation policy.”
Nanono explained that the agro-industrialisation was Nigeria’s key to economic viability that would be anchored on his mechanisation policy, adding that it would reduce the high rate of unemployment, boost the economy, guarantee food security and advance the level of trade and investment in the agricultural sector as a veritable strategy to diversify the economy.
By Chris Agabi
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has released its 2020 seasonal rainfall prediction (SRP). The prediction was publicly presented on January 21, 2020, early enough to enable farmers, medics, transporters, the government and other relevant stakeholders plan. The prediction and the 2019 climate review had the title, “The Role of Climate Information for Decision Making in a Changing Climate.’’
Like previous years, the prediction included findings on the onset of rainfall, cessation, amount of rainfall, dry spell, short dry season and impacts on agriculture, transportation, health, the environment, among others. But unlike the 2019 prediction which showed late onset of rain and early cessation, near to normal rainfall pattern is expected in 2020.
Farmers are warned against early planting this year Last year’s findings had shown that: “As 2019 is anticipated to be an El Niho year, rainfall deficit, with varying magnitude, is expected for most part of the country, especially northward.
This is expected to have an impact on the timing of the onset and cessation of the growing season. A shorter length of season is expected with below normal rainfall amounts. However, climate smart agriculture should be the watch word.”
That prediction had shown that the earliest onset date would be from March 7 around the coastal region of the South-South while the far northern states would have their onset from June 16. The cessation dates began from September 29 around the northwestern parts of the country; around October in Middle Belt states, and the coastal states had cessation in late December, 2019.
Although the 2020 prediction pattern is not a huge departure from that of 2019, it has variations that could impact negatively on farmers and other weather users if the warnings are not heeded. Based on NiMet predictions, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the onset (planting period) of the “2020 growing season is expected to be ‘near-normal or earlier than normal in most parts of the country.’
The earliest onset date is likely to occur on February 24 around the coastal zone of the South-South states, while states like Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno, are predicted to have their onset from June 2, 2020.” On cessation, he said the predictions indicated that a “normal, to later-than- normal is expected across the country.
On the length of the growing season, he said, “A normal to longer-than- normal length of season is generally predicted across the country. In 2020, the length of growing season is expected to span 110-160 days in the Sahel region of the North and 210-280 days in the South.” According to Sirika, the SRP also showed that a “normal to above normal rainfall is expected generally in the country.
It is expected that total rainfall amounts would range from 400mm in the North to about 3000mm in the South.” Presenting the general highlights of the SRP, the director-general of NiMet, Prof Sani Abubakar Mashi, said it also showed false onset of rain. But he quickly warned farmers not to plant with the early false rain but wait for the rains to fully set.
Speaking further, he said that generally, cessation dates in other parts of the North were expected to be in October, through November 5, extending to November 15 in Gombe and Kaduna. In the central and inland parts of the South, cessation dates are expected in November, while the South-East, Lagos and the Niger-Delta are to have dates in December.
He noted that these cessation dates, in comparison with observed normal dates over the country, showed that most locations are expected to be near-normal. However, he said that in few places around Katsina, Jigawa, Plateau, Kogi and Ondo, cessations dates were expected to be earlier. In Osun, parts of Lagos and Ekiti, cessation dates are expected to be later.
The chances of occurrence of earlier and later cessation dates are relatively modest, he stated. The report further shows that the coastal areas will have a length of season that may extend to 310 days as the growing pattern throughout the season is not expected to vary much from the normal across the country.
The SRP also shows that the variation expected in the length of growing season for 2020 is likely to affect a large section of the North-West, where places like Sokoto, Kebbi, Gusau, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano are possibly going to experience an extended length of growing season, which may extend beyond 7 days.
In the central states, Abuja and Plateau could also experience an extended length of growing season. On dry spell, the report showed that severe dry spell that may last 10 to 18 days is predicted over Niger, Bauchi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Yobe and Borno in June. This may last 10 to 18 days after the onset, spilling into July. Moderate dry spell that may last 8 to 12 days is expected around Yelwa, Bida, Minna, Zaria, Funtua, Lafia, Bauchi, Abuja, Gombe and Yola in June 2020, the report showed. According to the 2020 SRP, there is a moderate to high probability for dry spell in and around Ilorin, Shaki. Iseyin, Yola and parts of Gombe in July, that may last from 15 to 21 days.
Also, areas around Bomo (Jere, Kukawan, Guzamala, Gubio, Mongono); Jigawa (Bimiwa, Dutse, Hadejia, Gun’, SuleTankarkar, Maigatari. Babura); Sokoto (Illela, Gada, Tangaza, Isa, Gudu); Katsina (Jibia, Kaita, Matazu, Funtua, Mai“Adua, Daura, Mashi, Dutsi); Yobe( Damaturu, Gashua, Yusufari, Yunusari. Machina, Karasuwa); Kebbi (Augie, ArewaDandi, Biminkebbi, Argungu) and Zanfam (Shinkafi, Zurmi, Maradun, TalataMafara, Bakura, Kaura Namoda), will experience dry spell in June, spilling into July, that may last up to 15 days. Socio-economic implications of the 2020 SRP on agriculture Based on the prediction, NiMet urged farmers to avoid planting during pre-onset period.
They should take advantage of this period for land preparation and procure inputs. Farmers were also advised to adopt risk management techniques like taking insurances, as well as adopt climate smart agriculture (improve productivity, build resilience and reduce emission), such as soil and water conservation, water harvesting techniques, supplementary irrigation during the dry spell, the use of drought and stress tolerant seed varieties, the use of early-maturing varieties and gro-forestry.
NiMet also advised farmers to use weather and climate information throughout the agricultural value chain. The SRP recommended that government steps in to help farmers with farming inputs to mitigate losses.
“Authorities concerned are advised to facilitate the provision of early maturing and drought resistant varieties to guard against the risk of crop failure and poor yield,” the report stated, adding that soil and water management is essential for maintaining the production of food crops and fodder under conditions, with high water stress.
By Vincent A. Yusuf
Since September last year, the local rice industry has witnessed one of the most prosperous moments in history due to the temporarily shut down of the borders.
But fear is beginning to grip farmers and processors as conversation around reopening the border is heightened, even though news made the round last week that the federal government was not certain on the reopening date.
While government is likely to meet to review the conditionality for which the borders were closed after which they will take a decision on whether to reopen or not, many who spoke with the Daily Trust advised government to rethink any position to reopen the border as that will be a disaster that will erode the gains so far made in addition to discouraging future production and investments.
Mr. Retson Tedheke, National Coordinator/National Secretary of Nigeria Farmers’ Group & Cooperative Society, makers of Ga’ate Rice in Nasarawa State, said any nation that desires economic growth, must first and foremost protect her interest because at the end of the day, the growth of the nation is all about how well the local industries are protected and supported.
“Nigeria as a nation with about 84 million arable hectares of farmlands, we cannot say that importation is the way to go because every time we import rice, we export jobs,” he said.
Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Zuru, Managing Director, Labana Rice Mills Ltd in Kebbi State, makers of Lake Rice and Labana Rice, lamented that despite the closure, smuggling activities still exist and warned that this could take the country back to the pre-closure era and “we are going back to square one.”
“With the borders closure many rice mills or processors that hitherto suspended production due to lack of sales resumed; those operating below capacity increased their capacity; and those that sent their staff on leave pending the improvement of sales recalled the staff,’’ he said.
Similarly, the president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Architect Kabiru Ibrahim, in an earlier interview, said the country needs the promotion of locally-produced items.
Putting up a strong argument for current policy to be maintained, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, the national president of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) explains why the trajectory recorded in the last few years should be maintained if the country must move forward. “The border closure is not only about ordinary farmers, but is about Nigeria and Nigerians.
There are so many things against this country, against the economy of this country, against the security of this country, against the employment generation of this country and even against the leadership of this country,” he said.
He maintained that India closed its borders for 40 years and China closed its border for a very long time until they were self-sufficient, adding that “no matter the agreement we entered into with our neighbours, Nigeria’s interest should be first before any other country.
Khadijat Saudi, Birnin Kebbi
In an efforts to boost Agricultural yield, kebbi state government has distributed agricultural equipment to support farming activities in the state.
Speaking during distribution of agricultural equipment to cooperative groups at KARDA Headquarters in kalgo, Governor Atiku Bagudu said the equipment were procured by the government to support farming activities across the 225 wards.
He advised women and youths to engage themselves in agricultural production in other to be self reliant.
The governor promised to provide more of such facilities to boost mechanisation of agriculture for maximum yield, as well as provide platforms to engage youths and women groups in the agricultural value chain.
Highlights of the event was a symbolic presentation of power tillers, rippers, thrashers and harvesters machines to youth and women groups.