The Jigawa State Government has indicated its readiness to go into massive cultivation of rice, wheat and tomato cultivation during the 2016 dry farming in the state. The state is targeting 150,000 hectares of land for the project.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Kabiru Ali, who spoke to news men in Dutse, he state capital, said that 50,000 hectares would be dedicated to each of the three selected crops.
He explained that the programme would be implemented through the Anchor Borrower Scheme introduced by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The commissioner said that the Federal Government has earmarked over N20 billion to millers to serve as up-takers when the farmers must have cultivated, adding that any miller who has good mill can access the loan.
“If a farmer produces at the end of the season, the person (miller) that facilitated the loan will up take what he produced.”
Ali said that the state government was partnering with Flour Mills of Nigeria and others on wheat production.
“We are in consultation with Flour Mills of Nigeria and others; they are coming to partner with us in the production of wheat.
“On tomato production, Rot Peller Foundation is also coming to work with us.”
He explained that the foundation would give support in tomato production, particularly in post harvest processes and marketing.
The commissioner noted that about 35,000 wheat farmers have so far registered for the programme. [myad]
