Yobe moves to promote agric for food security, economic development

Governor Maimala Buni of Yobe State has said that the agriculture sector is not fully harnessed as an alternative means of job and wealth creation.

Consequently, he is mapping out strategies to promote agriculture for food security and economic progress.

Buni was speaking yesterday in Damaturu at a four-day retreat themed ‘Enhancing Agricultural Activities for Food Security and Economic Growth’.

“It does not seem as if we are making the best of agriculture as an alternative means of wealth creation,” he said.

According to the governor, despite abundance of land and human capital, agriculture still remains largely subsistence with low productivity among farmers.

“There are still challenges to be met,” he lamented.

The challenges facing farmers in the state, he said, comprise low productivity, limited access to improved seeds, weak research and extension services.

He added that poor access to credit facilities also hampered the development of agriculture.

Agriculture holds the key to opportunities that could significantly improve people’s living conditions, he asserted.

His words, “Our objective is to encourage sustainable agriculture through an integrated system of plant and animal production practices.

“Agriculture is an engine of job creation and path to sustainable development and prosperity.”

The retreat, according to Buni, is to strengthen agricultural planning on effective utilisation of research findings.

He said the new techniques to adopt could enhance agricultural production, processing, and marketing.

At the end of the retreat, he said: “We will form an expert working committee to thoroughly digest all the presentations and recommendations to be made, so as to adopt strategies for the implementation of the strategies.”

He disclosed that he would form a committee to be headed by Prof. Abba Gambo of the Yobe State University, Damaturu.