Kebbi to launch 6,000 solar pumps, water tillers for special dry season farming

The Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, said his government has procured and will be launching 6,000 solar pumps and power tillers for special dry season farming.

According to a statement signed by the spokesman of the Governor, Ahmed Idris, the governor made the announcement when he paid a courtesy visit on the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, in his office in Abuja.

The spokesman quoted Governor Idris saying: “Kebbi State is ready to compliment the Federal Government’s Special Dry Season Programme under the Ministry of Agriculture by providing solar powered boreholes and power tillers to the participating farmers across the state. The state has so far procured 6,000 of such.”

According to the spokesman, Governor Idris has invited the minister as the Special Guest to the launching of the Kaura Agricultural Development and Growth Agenda and the distribution of solar pumps and power tillers to farmers in the state.

“While congratulating the minister for running the affairs of the ministry in tune with the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of the president, the governor expressed willingness of the state to partner with the ministry in achieving national food security.”

Responding, the minister recalled that within the past one week, he had been privileged to host governors of four states.

He said: “There is no doubt that the collective steps we are taking to boost food production, reduce food inflation and more assuredly guarantee our national food security, are matters of urgent engagement that required increase inter-governmental interactions.”

“In November 2023, we flagged off the Wheat Dry Season Farming across 15 states that are in the wheat-producing belt of the country.”

The minister noted that the flag off was intended to ensure that Nigeria rely less on rain-fed agricultural production during the wet season and key into all-year-round farming.

Kyari observed that in addition to boosting the volumes of crops cultivated, taking advantage of both dry and wet season farming would increase job opportunities, reduce poverty, de-escalate food inflation and enhance inclusivity.

“These are goals highlighted in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Kebbi is one of the states chosen for the dry season farming across irrigable farmlands.

“Despite some of the initial glitches, it is reassuring that your government took necessary critical steps, such as land preparation and facilitation of tubular irrigation, to enable the cultivation of wheat under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project.

“We are also aware that your government has supported farmers with additional fertilisers and other inputs and provided funds for commodity associations towards boosting agricultural productivity in the state,” he noted.