Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has claimed that the state realised N600billion in agriculture and other related businesses last year through the public and private sectors.
Bago disclosed this when he received members of Developing-8 (D-8) group, an intergovernmental organisation at the Government House Minna that came to present a partnership proposal to the state.
Bago said the only way to sustain food security, provide employment to the youth, and reduce insecurity and other social vices is to adopt new techniques in crop production, irrigation farming, animal husbandry, and livestock management.
The governor, who emphasised the enormous advantage of the state’s land mass with great potential for agriculture and livestock, said mechanisation farming should be embraced by all in order to achieve the target of feeding the nation.
He also disclosed to members of the group that the state government in collaboration with schools through the introduction of school farms has enabled the inclusion of crop production into school syllabuses to enable students enhance their skills development for the future.
He said collaboration with the D-8 group, Niger State, can benefit a lot, especially in terms of renewable energy, which he described as essential for any agric development.
The secretary general, D-8, Amb. Isiaka Imam had earlier informed the governor that the organisation is an international-based organisation in Turkey comprising Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Republic of Azerbaijan.
The effort of the Organisation, he said, is to see how it can collaborate with several state governments, Niger State inclusive and try to woo investors in some priority areas like agriculture and food security, energy, ICT, tourism, small and medium enterprises and human resource.
