Katsina State Government has released the sum of N2 billion to revive cotton production and boost other agricultural activities in the state.
Disclosing this while flagging off the state three-day agricultural show in Kafin Soli, Kankia Local Government, the state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari, said that government was targeting wet and dry season farming with a view to achieving food sufficiency and exportation of excess produce to other markets.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy Mannir Yakubu, explained that his administration had provided modern farming inputs, incentives and created an enabling environment for small scale farmers to thrive in the state.
Masari said: “Our target is to support farmers to effectively compete positively with the global challenges that demand high level of commercial production, processing and marketing of products within and outside the country.”
This is even as he spoke on the state government’s collaboration with the Agricultural Research Institute of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in order to revive cotton production which is one of the agricultural produce the state had been reputed in the past.
The governor pointed out that efforts were being intensified by the government to source for improved seed varieties of other crops with short duration of maturity and high yield that will stand the effects of climate change.
According to him, this is intended to improve farmers’ production, create jobs and provide wealth in the state.
Masari appealed to farmers to desist from illegal felling of trees and encroachment on forest and grazing reserves, saying that these acts are partly responsible for drought, farmers/herdsmen clashes and desertification.
