Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has stated his state is working in the direction of attaining meals sufficiency and the export of money crops and different farm merchandise equivalent to maize and cassava, amongst others.
The governor acknowledged this on the Koiri irrigation farm, one of many pilot drip irrigation schemes of his administration.
Koiri scheme, overlaying about 20 hectares of land, is aimed to supply 364 tons of maize and sesame in a single crop cycle. With three cycles per 12 months, the Koiri scheme is focused to domesticate over 1,092 tons of maize and different crops yearly.
Zulum famous that his administration will concentrate on investing in irrigation agriculture to maximise meals manufacturing within the state.
He stated: “We are going to subsequently change focus and make investments our assets in irrigation farming or, relatively, meals manufacturing. I guarantee you that we are going to present the political will wanted to realize meals sufficiency.”
He nevertheless ordered the enlargement of the scheme to 300 hectares, with 100 hectares to be cultivated in every of the three senatorial zones.
The governor added: “We have to increase our scope. We should always determine greater land; we will increase with one other 100 hectares every in Borno Central, South and North.
“My predecessor had procured about 10,000 hectares of drip irrigation kits. After this 12 months’s wet season, we hope the state will be capable to domesticate no less than 1000 hectares.”
Zulum was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Authorities, Hon. Bukar Tijjani, Commissioners for Agriculture and Pure Assets, Bawu Musami, Info and Inner Safety, Prof. Usman Tar, and members of the Agric transformation group.