The Sokoto State Government says it will spend the sum of N1.4 billion to subsidise the price of fertilizer for its farmers in the 2018 cropping season.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal disclosed this in Sabon Birni Local Government Area while launching fertilizer sale for dry season farming and distribution of improved seeds to farmers across the state.
The governor said, “We have bought 500,000 bags of fertilizer at the cost of N6,800 per 50kg bag, but we have decided to sell the product to our farmers at the subsidised cost of N4,000 per bag. In all, we are spending the sum of N1.4 billion to subsidise the product.
“This intervention becomes necessary in view of our determination to boost agriculture in the state and to encourage new entrants into the sector.
“We will continuously explore other avenues to grow the agric sector, bearing in mind that it is the largest employer of labour for majority of our citizens.”
In all, Tambuwal said the government would buy 25,000 metric tons of fertiliser at the cost of N3.4 billion for the dry season farming alone in the state.
According to him, the state government would construct 1000 tube wells to assist dry season farmers as a result of shortage of water being experienced at the Goronyo Dam.
On seeds, the governor said the Ministry of Agriculture had procured faro-brand rice seedlings at the cost of N281 million to be distributed to dry season farmers free of charge, while another N9.5 million worth of seedlings for carrot, onion, water melon and garlic had been bought for the farmers to assist in improving their yields.
He added, “This is in addition to payment of N20million counterpart funding to the State Agricultural Development Project (SADP) for the provision of Tube Wells to farmers and motorcycles to monitoring officers in 2017.
“The government has paid the sum of N40million as counterpart funding to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and N56 Million for the World Bank funded-Fadama III project which are all aimed at improving farming activities in the state.”
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Umar Nagwari, said the ministry achieved 80 percent of its set target in 2017, and vowed to do more for the benefit of farmers.
