Gombe State Government expresses commitment to boost food production in the state.
By Abdulazeez Ibrahim Hassan
The state commissioner of Agriculture, Alh. Muhammadu Magaji Gettado made this known at the flagging off of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN 2021/2022 inputs distribution for dry season farming held in Dadin Kowa, Yamaltu Deba local government Area of Gombe State.
Alhaji Muhammad Magaji Gettado said, boosting food production has been a major priority of Gombe State Government since it came to power in 2015.
The Commissioner said having realized the importance of Agriculture, in boosting food production and creating job opportunities, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya saw the need to establish an Industrial Park where Agricultural produced will be processed thereby creating employment opportunities to the teaming youths.
He therefore commended the Coordinator RIFAN Special project, Alh Abubakar S. Bello, his team and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for promoting rice farming in the State through which the massive rice production was achieved.
Earlier in his remark, the National President, Rice Farmer Association of Nigeria, Alh. Ameenu Abdullahi Goronyo who was represented by Alh. Bamanga Hayatu, charged the beneficiaries of the programme to use the farming inputs and improve their living conditions.
Speaking at the flagging off ceremony, the CBN Head of Development Finance, Abdullahi Baba Isah lauded the Women farmers in the state for keying into the Anchor Borrowers program, stressing that the CBN noted the contributions made by women farmers in rice farming in Gombe State.
He therefore called on women farmers in the state to redouble their efforts in rice production for improved food security, conserving foreign exchange and employment generation.
Items distributed are irrigation machines, rice seedlings, bags of fertilizers, sprayers, pesticides among others.
