Tillers Distributed to Farmers

By Abdallah el-Kurebe

As part of activities to mark Democracy Day, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state on Sunday distributed farm implements and other poverty eradication tools to farmers and women, respectively.

While the implement included 1,350 pumping machines, 1,000 tiller machines, the poverty eradication tools were 265 tricycles to beneficiaries in the 23 local government areas of the state.

Earlier in his Democracy Day broadcast, the governor said that the challenges of dwindling revenue sources owing to the fall in oil prices, was why his administration was focusing on agriculture.

According to Tambuwal, the development had “necessitated a paradigm shift in our approach to economic matters and financial management. We therefore decided to focus our attention to Agriculture for the sector has the potential to adequately bail us out from the unfortunate situation.”

He stated that the stark economic realities had strengthened his government to execute programmes that would uplift the welfare of the people in all possible ways, adding that apart from projects that were of aggregated public interests and priorities, “We are giving proper attention to revitalising the agricultural sector in all possible ways.

“We have for a start, purchased assorted fertilizers worth N1,207,080,000.00 for this years cropping season. The State Government has also intervened in the provision of water pumps, seedlings, drilling of tube wells and agricultural machineries at the cost of N1,660,000,000.00. Similarly, we have procured 1,000 units of Tiller Machines at the cost of N169,000,000.00,” Tambuwal stated.

The governor enumerated other initiatives to include visit to China in orser to explore areas that could facilitate the state government’s quest for rapid agricultural development in all possible ways. “Accordingly, an MOU was signed on Distance Aid Training to essentially train students on Grains Food Security with Henan University of Technology via Polytechnic of Sokoto State. Similar agreement has been signed for the construction of Agricultural Science and Technology Park in collaboration with Henan Province.

“The State Government has also signed an MOU with Camaco China  Africa Machinery Co-op that provides access for our State to concessionary Chinese funding on the platform of the China-Africa Development Fund (CADF). Currently, Data Base Census is being conducted for all farmers in the State with a view to identifying real farmers and their categories to enable the State Government empower them correctly, and put in place proper budgeting for long-term planning,” the governor further said.