Following efforts to boost production in the country, the National Agency for Land Agricultural Development Authority (NALDA) revealed that it has recorded bumper harvest across states.

The agency which conducted journalists around some its farms across the six geopolitical zones, stated that it has commenced harvesting, bagging and storing of rice and maize in Niger, Nasarawa, Benue and Oyo States.

The Executive Secretary of the Authority, Paul Ikonne, stated that the agency established farms in collaboration with the private and public institutions to achieve food security in the country.

He anticipated that the harvests will boost the nation’s grain supply with ripple effect on the value chains downstream that produce poultry feed and other household goods.

Meanwhile, the authority has supported famers in Galambi community, Bauchi State with agricultural implements to harvest 500 hectares of Maize and rice farms

The farms under the NALDA farm estates are equipped with four tractors, two maize threshers, planters, boom sprayers, maize harvesters and a finished grain warehouse.

Bauchi State Coordinator for NALDA, Muhammad Mu’Azu, noted that the mechanized farm will boost production in the community, adding that the bumper harvest recorded on the farm has attracted interest of farmers in the surrounding farming communities.

Expressing his excitement, he said: “As a young man working in a mechanized farm, I feel very happy. For you to see a mechanized farm that use only machines for everything, you have to look very far, it is very rare around us here and I see a very bright future because you will be able to cover a very wide area of land within a very short period.”

The authority has also begun harvest of the 150 hectares of rice farm cultivated in Gboko, Benue state with two combined harvesters, tractors, and other machines for bagging chores

Speaking during a visit, NALDA State Coordinator, Asom William, stated that the farm recorded good success due to the deployment of farm equipment, adding that it has also drawn the willingness of youths to join the volunteer workforce.

With essential equipment, he stated that the stage is set for more expansion in the coming cropping season, including diversification into dry season production.

On his part, Head, Department of Engineering, NALDA, Engineer Owolabi Matthew Olusegun, said: “This is what we have been preaching, and it is proof that Nigeria is capable of doing so, as you have witnessed firsthand at NALDA Farm. With this, you can see how much labour we have removed, how much drudgery has been eliminated, and how the entire process has been streamlined.”

“We are therefore appealing to the federal government to invest more in NALDA. We are ready to replicate this farm all over the country. With this we can increase the acreage to ensure that we get food self-sufficiency. We can do it and we are doing it”, he said.

Also, the same success story abounds in Niger State as NALDA harvested maize from its 85hectares of land located in Tunga Gana, Pakoro Local Government Area.

The farm established to provide opportunities for women and youths has produced remarkable amount of grain. The state Administrator NALDA, Niger State, Illiya Bala Manta, described the ongoing harvest as very good especially because the entire process is fully mechanized, something he said has also attracted a lot of interest from the youth in the community.

“Majority of what we are doing here is mechanized but we have also engaged approximately 50 women who will help assemble maize in areas where we may face obstacles with the machines. We have also involved about 100 youths from the beginning of field preparation until harvest depending on the operations,” he said.

Mr. Manta said the intention of the state is to extend more production in upcoming season, possibly covering 400 hectares if the headquarters allowed.

He also indicated that plans are also in the pipeline to commence 100 hectares of dry season farming in another location.

The farm’s manager, Mustapha Haruna Ndadama, described his time working in the farm as “very nice experience so far.”

“The most important aspect of it is the innovation. You can see every activity done with machines only a few places where we had challenges that we engage people to do it manually.

“The new innovations brought to us in Niger helped us to boost harvest and you can see farmers around coming because they’re seeing something they have not seen before”, he said.