Governor Buni’s Agricultural Transformation: Yobe state to launch mega empowerment initiative for enhanced food security, by Suleiman Dauda
Yobe State, under the visionary and focused leadership of His Excellency, the Executive Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, CON, is poised to launch a comprehensive agricultural empowerment initiative aimed at revolutionising the state’s agricultural sector.
The state government has recognized the critical need to transition from traditional subsistence farming to a more modern, productive, and commercially viable agricultural system. This initiative highlights Yobe State’s commitment to enhancing food security, creating employment opportunities, and boosting the overall economy.
Yobe State occupies a significant land mass of 47,153 square kilometers, with 70 percent of this area being arable land. The state’s diverse agricultural potential is further highlighted by its 10 percent forest coverage, 11.9 percent dedicated to permanent crop production, and 3.15 percent permanent meadows. Agriculture remains the backbone of Yobe’s economy, employing approximately 245,478 individuals and representing 26.6 percent of the state’s labor force. The state’s triple resource base of farming, fishing, and livestock rearing makes it one of the most agriculturally rich regions in northeastern Nigeria.
Despite the state’s vast agricultural potential, with majority of state’s populace of over 4 million residents predominantly residing in rural areas, engage in subsistence farming that is labor-intensive and yields low productivity.
Traditional farming methods, including manual land tilling, harvesting, processing, and milling, have limited the sector’s growth and profitability. Consequently, many households struggle with food insecurity, with only 8.8 percent of households being food secure according to a 2017 World Food Programme report.
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The primary factors contributing to food insecurity in Yobe include the lack of financial resources to purchase necessary agricultural inputs, difficulties in accessing credit facilities, and disruptions caused by the Boko Haram insurgency. Additionally, climate change and natural disasters have exacerbated these challenges, further restricting access to agricultural land and labor.
To address these issues, the Yobe State government under Governor Mai Mala Buni developed a strategic policy framework aimed at modernizing the agricultural sector. The state’s ministry of agriculture is at the forefront of implementing policies designed to create an enabling environment for rapid agricultural development. These policies focus on improving agricultural production, processing, storage, and distribution through the adoption of modern technologies and supportive infrastructure.
In alignment with Yobe State strategic policy direction in the Agric Sector, His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, emphasized the importance of transitioning a significant portion of the farming population from subsistence to commercial agriculture to revamp the agricultural sector in the state.
As part of the mega agricultural empowerment initiative, the Yobe State government will on Saturday 20th July 2024 launch a massive empowerment in Agric sector to support local farmers and enhance agricultural productivity. The procured items by the Yobe State Government include the following;
100 tractors
300 sets of ox-drawn ploughs
20,000 bags of fertilizer
1,349 hand planters
8,000 harvesters
200 motorcycles for agricultural extension officers
7 Hilux vans for zonal Agricultural Development Programme offices
Over 1,000 threshers
Thousands of bags of various seeds
889 hand push plough machines
4,000 solar-powered water pumps
8,000 rakes
4,000 harrows
4,000 cultivators and thousands of Pesticides
This extensive provision of agricultural tools and resources is designed to significantly increase productivity and profitability for farmers. By integrating improved technologies and modern farming practices, the initiative aims to elevate Yobe State’s agricultural sector to new heights.
Therefore, with this ambitious Mega Agricultural Empowerment, it is imperative to ensure the initiative’s success through strategic planning and effective implementation.
Relevant government institutions and committees set up by the government must ensure a transparent and data-driven process to identify and verify the right beneficiaries. This could include smallholder farmers, women and youth farmers, and other vulnerable populations such as IDP farmers who can significantly benefit from the equipment.
The state should also deploy agricultural extension agents to provide technical support and training to the beneficiaries. These agents should be adequately trained and equipped to assist farmers in optimizing the use of new equipment, adopting best agricultural practices, and addressing any operational challenges.
Government can identify and partner with local fabricators to create a sustainable maintenance ecosystem and set up maintenance centers across the 17 local government areas to provide easy access to maintenance services for farmers. This will not only ensure the longevity of the equipment but also promote local businesses and employment.
Another important step is the establishment of community-based seed banks to ensure a steady supply of high-quality seeds. This will help in maintaining genetic diversity and resilience in crops.
Respective MDAs to organize training sessions for farmers on seed selection, production, processing, and storage techniques. This training should focus on enhancing farmers’ skills to produce and maintain high-quality seeds locally.
State owned microfinance bank can design a financial inclusion for farmers through collaboration directly or indirectly with other financial institutions to access non-interest credit facilities tailored for farmers that are easily accessible and manageable for farmers, ensuring flexible repayment terms aligned with the agricultural calendar.
The mega agricultural empowerment demonstrates Governor Mai Mala Buni’s leadership and represents a bold and visionary step towards ensuring food security, reducing poverty, and fostering economic growth.
His unwavering political initiatives will no doubt transform Yobe State’s agricultural landscape, paving the way for a more prosperous future for our people.
This commendable initiative highlights Governor Buni’s dedication to the well-being and progress of the state, setting a remarkable example for others to follow.
Suleiman Dauda, Writes from Damaturu, Yobe State Capital
