The Katsina State Government has announced plans to establish a farmers’ radio station to enhance communication and improve management practices in the state’s agricultural sector.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Livestock, Prof. Ahmed Bakori, disclosed this on Friday in Katsina during a press briefing ahead of Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s visit to the state.
He said the vice-president is expected to arrive on Monday to inaugurate several projects executed by Governor Dikko Radda’s administration.
According to Bakori, one of the projects to be commissioned is a newly established e-centre designed to provide farmers with timely responses to agricultural inquiries.
He explained that the proposed farmers’ radio station would serve as a dedicated platform to offer on-demand support, technical advice, and information on production management, marketing, and pest control.
“The initiative is part of a holistic strategy to transform Katsina’s agricultural system by improving access to modern equipment, training, and information,” he said.
Bakori noted that the radio station would particularly benefit smallholder farmers, who constitute the majority of the state’s agricultural population and rely heavily on radio for information.
“With this development, farmers will have three major sources of information — the traditional extension workers, the Katsina Sustainable Platform for Agriculture (KASPA), and the upcoming radio station,” he said.
He added that the platform would enable farmers to directly communicate with experts, ask questions, and receive timely guidance.
“We believe this will effectively address the management aspect of agricultural production. Once farmers begin to make profits, the sector will grow to the desired level,” Bakori stated.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transportation, Sani Magaji Ingawa, said the vice-president would inaugurate a 3.3-kilometre road project within Katsina metropolis.
He said the road, which stretches from the Katsina Central Mosque to the WTC Roundabout, was constructed at a cost of ₦1.9 billion.
“The project, equipped with solar-powered streetlights and a drainage system, reflects the administration’s commitment to infrastructure development that promotes safety, efficiency, and sustainability,” he added.
Similarly, the Director-General of the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), A’isha Aminu, revealed that Shettima would also declare open the 9th Expanded National Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Clinic during his visit.
