The Kebbi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Shehu Ma’azu says the State Government has supported no fewer than 16,000 farmers through ‘Residual Moisture Crop Production’ to enable them recover from last year’s devastating floods.
He made the disclosure during a tour of the cultivated farmlands purposely for the programme located in different Local Government Areas of the state.
The selected villages for the pilot scheme include; Raha in Bunza LGA, Bahindin Bagugo, Bagudo LGA and Mayalo, Maiyama LGA.
‘Residual Moisture Crop Production’ an initiative of Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi, aims at assisting farmers affected by last year’s flood to recoup and continue their normal life.
Under the scheme, the affected farmers received improved potatoes, cassava and maize seeds, fertilisers and chemicals free-of-charge from the state government as a source of encouragement.
Ma’azu said the state government had taken a bold step by initiating a programme that would bring succour to those communities affected by 2024 floods in the state.
He said in the scheme, the state government, through the ministry of agriculture, supplied improved seeds, fertilisers and chemicals free-of-charge to ensure that farmers recover the loses.
“We are happy that you used the seeds, fertilsers and other inputs supplied to you very well. Today, we are here to inspect what you have done and report back to the governor what we saw.
“Glory be God Almighty, you people have recovered and the seeds supplied to you were fantastic,” he said.
On his part, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed-BK, Commissioner for Information and Culture, said everybody’s concern today was about what to eat, indicating that food was critical to human existence.
While encouraging the farmers to brace up and sustain their farming business, Ahmed-BK said: “farm is wealth.”
The commissioner advised the communities to always pray for the success of the present administration under the leadership of Gov. Nasir Idris.
In their separate confessional statements, the peasant farmers confirmed to the delegation that the initiative had brought succour to their lives.
In his speech, Alhaji Abubakar Walin-Raha, who represented the District Head of Raha, appreciated Gov. Idris for what he described as a good foresight.
“We are very happy that these seeds are extremely good, we used them and we saw how effective they are.
“We want to plead with the state government to assist us with pumping machine so that we can embark on irrigation of these three crops,” he appealed.
Alhaji Tukur Umar, the District Head of Bahindin Bagugo confirmed that after planting the seeds he also received three trucks of fertilisers and shared it among the 40 Village Heads in his domain.
He expressed delight over the initiative and appealed to the state government to extend the programme to dry season to enable other people benefit.
A peasant farmer, Malam Abubakar Mai-Kifi said he had been farming for over 40 years but he had never come across excellent maize seed like the one brought to them by the ministry.
Malam Musa Mai-Dala’ilu admitted that the community had actually been liberated from the scourge of floods, adding that the seeds had motivated many to embrace farming including those who were not practicing before.
On his part, Alhaji Muhammad Sani, who is also the Marafan Mayalo said the community would never forget Gov. Idris’ administration.
“We are happy that after the flood, life is coming back to normal, we appreciate the governor for the gesture. We also want to extend gratitude to His Excellency for the reconstruction of bridge that collapsed during the rainy season.
“In view of this, the entire people of Mayalo have defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) and we shall stand by him in any election,” he assured.
