NALDA establishes 100 hectares integrated farm estate in Sokoto state

In a move to curtail farmers/herders clashes in the country, the National Agricultural Laded Development Agency (NALDA) has established 100hectares farm integrated farm estates in Sokoto state to boost animal husbandry and crop production.

The farm estate among others has a modern animal husbandry farm with a cow milking parlour with a capacity of 200 cows in a set, 500 cow pens, napier grass on 50 hectares, and the construction of clinics/veterinary sections, poultry feed mill as well as a crop farm to boost food production.

The Executive Secretary of NALDA Paul Ikonne while inspecting the project stated that the authority is developing a modern animal husbandry farm that would sustain itself and reduce the movement of cows within the area.

He noted that in line with President Mohammadu Buhari’s directives, NALDA is committed to achieving food security and development, as he assured that the farm would generate employment, hygienic milk production and cow fattening for meat.

Ikonne revealed that the youths would also be trained on the farm so as to encourage them to go into animal husbandry

He stated that the animal husbandry farm would be located at Dabagin-lafia, opposite the Usman Danfodio University farm, while the poultry feed mill is situated in Dayin village along the road to Doba, in Sokoto State.

“He revealed that the 100 hectares of farm land was donated by Prime Ranch Ltd for the animal husbandry farm adding that napier grass field and will cultivate maize and millet on 30 hectares of the said land adding that the napier grass field would aid feed production for the cows and eliminate roaming around of the animals in search of feed, thereby curtailing farmer/herder clash.

The DG revealed that about 400 people to work directly involved in animal husbandry.

“The employment chain will not be anything less than 400, consisting of workers who would be directly involved in these activities.

The Founder, of Prime Ranch Ltd, Nafiu Yakubi, said the partnership with NALDA thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for encouraging young farmers through NADLA, stressing that the President had called Nigerians to return to farming, as he urged Nigerian youths to yield to the call.

“I am a lawyer and I am back to the farm, so Nigerian youths should go back to farming. It is very profitable and the opportunities are very wide,” Yakubu stated.

During the inspection, construction workers were spotted at the 100 hectares of farmland at the section of the clinic and training center building where work was ongoing, while the 500 cow capacity pens and the cow milking parlour have both been completed.

Also spotted were those watering the napier grass field using the boreholes provided by NALDA at the farm.