Besides, the firm is targeting hundreds of hectares of arable land in Jigawa and Nassarawa states to actualise agricultural innovation and dynamics aimed at mitigating food shortages.
The Managing Director of the company, Abubakar Usman Adam, disclosed the plan at a symposium organised by Bayero University Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) in Kano
Adam explained that the farm estate initiative remains the alternative solution to stem the tide of food crisis being triggered by global warming due to climate change.
“Currently in Jigawa, we are targeting 5,000 hectares, 3,000 has already been identified. In Nasarawa State we are targeting 15,000 hectares with our partners and the state government and currently, there are 5,000 hectares on the ground that we are starting.
“Our objective is to create topnotch quality seeds and that cannot be achieved by the farmers’ because they are small in size and the efficacy related to the seeds procedures.
“We went to create a new generation of farmers as today many youths believe that farming is not a viable venture for them, but we are now changing the narrative by engaging in various agric value chains,” the chairman added.
Earlier, while joining the symposium virtually, the Director-General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Dr. Mansur Bako Matazu, said the environmental challenges of a flood, changes in onset and cessation of rain, drought are all by-products of climate change.
The NiMET boss, who explained the role of the agency on the theme of the occasion, “The 2021 growing season: Focus, realities, said most states in the country have experienced below-normal rainfall this year, which he said has already been predicted by his agency for farmers to take appropriate measures.
The symposium according to the CDA Director, Professor Jibrin Muhammad Jibrin, was organised to review climate change issues at they affect northern Nigeria with a view to presenting them to policymakers for appropriate actions to be taken.
