Food security: Kano govt to engage foreign experts to boost agric production

From: Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Kano State Government is to enter into partnerships with Lead Research and Farm Inputs Entities to boost agricultural production in the state.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr.Danjuma Mahmoud, disclosed this while briefing journalists in his office on Friday.
Mahmoud said discussions on the partnerships were held between the state’s delegates and the experts at an International Agricultural Show which was recently staged in Paris.
According to him,the show covered all areas of agriculture including crop production, protection, mechanization and animal husbandry.
He said the state team made presentations, illustrations and demonstrations in the various aspects of the agricultural show.
In their meeting with one of the Lead Research Entities,CIRAD, the commissioner said, the Kano State Team and the foreign experts focused on high-yield seeds to enhance crop productivity per hectare, especially that of rice.
He said the discussions explored the introduction of the climate-smart and drought-resistant seeds that could significantly boost crop yields in the state.
He also stated that the talks were preparatory to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with CIRAD to support seed development, livestock productivity and improvement of animal feeds.
Dr.Mahmoud said seed adulteration remained a major challenge facing farmers in the state, disclosing that the government planned to establish demonstration farms to showcase the effectiveness of improved seed varieties.
With the introduction of such seeds, he said,rice farmers in the state could increase production from the current average of 40 to 60 bags per hectare to as high as 120 to 140 bags per hectare.
He also revealed that the state delegates held talks with Farm Inputs Entities towards a collaboration to provide affordable, easy-to-maintain agricultural equipment such as mini tractors, threshers and solar-powered implements.
The commissioner said the partnership could also help strengthen local fabrication capacity, enabling the state to produce modern farm implements that could serve farmers across northern Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries.
He described the Paris Agricultural Show which was attended by more than 2,000 companies from around the globe, as a major platform for exchange of knowledge, noting that Kano’s participation was aimed at accelerating the state’s agricultural transformation agenda.