Niger State Governor, Mr Muhammad Umaru Bago, has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bold steps to provide food security through mechanised farming, the agricultural value chain, and support to farmers in the realisation of the New Niger Agenda.
The Governor stated this at the end of a two-day Niger State Council on Agriculture, themed “Driving transformative and sustainable agricultural reform in Niger State: Bridging policy and impact to overcome systemic gaps,” held in Minna.
Bago, represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) Sadiq Yusuf, reaffirmed that the state remains the foremost agricultural state in Nigeria, blessed with vast fertile land and enormous natural endowment.
He noted that the initiated policies have contributed to changing the narrative, repositioning the state, and impacting the social economy in line with federal government policy, considering the natural resources to achieve state food sufficiency.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Doctor Mathew Ahmed, said that the State Council on Agriculture convened for a renewed commitment to transforming Niger State’s agricultural landscape, designed to tackle persistent challenges such as low productivity, weak infrastructure, and the growing threats of climate change.
Dr Mathew stressed the urgent need to close the gap between policy formulation and practical solutions, while he also appreciated the continuous support of AGRA and other development partners, which strengthened inter-agency cooperation towards improving and enhancing agricultural productivity in the state.
The AGRA Programme Officer, Godswill Aguiyi, reaffirmed the organisation’s strong partnership with the Niger State Government, with ongoing efforts to strengthen institutions, enhance service delivery, and boost productivity for smallholder farmers.
Godswill outlined AGRA’s key investments, which include a $1.4 million rice system project and a $1.2 million Business Development Service initiative that expands access to certified seeds, fertiliser, mechanisation, climate-smart agronomic information, and business development support.
Also speaking, the AGRA Country Director, Rufus Idris, explained that Niger State is leading the way to show other states and even the nation what it means to invest in agriculture.
