Procurement News Notice |
|
| PNN | 673 |
| Work Detail | To achieve food security and transform the state from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture, the Jigawa State government has adopted a cluster farming technique. Under this system of farming, clusters are developed in each of the 287 wards in the 27 local government areas of the state as demonstration farms. In each of the 27 local government areas, 50 hectares of farmland are provided as clusters with 20 to 30 farmers also organised into a cluster respectively, depending on their farm size. These farmers are facilitated with insecticides, fertilizer, improved seedlings and training to achieve a minimum target per hectare. Extension workers are also deployed across the 20,000 hectares of demonstration farms to provide expertise to these groups of farmers. It is estimated that with the introduction of this scheme, an average yield per hectare will be 10 tons of rice in the next few years. Our reporter observed that in one of the cluster farms, 8.5 tons of rice were cultivated instead of 3.5 tons per hectare last year. Malam Ibrahim Gude told our reporter that compared to last year’s yield, the new technique had proved effective as his produce multiplied. “With the new technique, I was able to cultivate 9.5 ton per hectare this year. Last year, in the same farm, I got 3 to 4 tons per hectare, but as you can see, the same farm produced 8.5 tons per hectare. “Presently, it is amazing how our produce increased. Groundnuts have increased from 1 ton per hectare to 3 tons, and sesame from a mere 900 kg to 3 tons. We are really encouraged to invest more in the sector,’’ Gude, who has been farming for over 30 years said, adding that it is a morale booster to all the farmers in the state. Another farmer, Hussaini Abdullahi, told our reporter that since 1975 when he started farming, he had never seen a committed effort to improve agriculture as the one by the Jigawa State government. “For the entire 40 years I have spent farming, I have not seen an effective programme like this from the government,’’ he said. According to Abdullahi, last year, in the same 20-hectare farm, his total rice production was 70 tons, but he was able to produce 190 tons this year, thanks to the new improved farming technique introduced by the state government. Also speaking to newsmen, another farmer, Malam Bulama Mukaddari, explained that the introduction of the cluster farming technique had revolutionised farming, making it attractive to the youth in the area. “My yield recorded over 300 per cent increase with the same investment last year. This has attracted my children. And I think it would be easier for them to engage in farming after seeing the level of success I recorded this year,’’ he said. In an exclusive interview with Daily Trust on Sunday, Governor Muhammed Badaru Abubakar explained the rationale behind the introduction of cluster farming in the state. “We have decided to demonstrate with cluster farming, which is a success in Brazil, Thailand and Argentina. In our demonstration farms, we cultivated rice and amazingly achieved a 300 per cent increase in yield per hectare in some farms, and an average of 7.5 tons per hectare for rice,’’ the governor said. Governor Abubakar said the essence of clustering was to aggregate inputs, mechanisation and extension service delivery, as well as accord participating farmers the advantage of group dynamics. Individual farms are measured and organised in clusters of about 50 hectares. Farmers also form groups and appoint leaders. Depending on which crop sector they fall in, they are given certified seeds and other inputs based on their individual farm size. This is recorded in the group’s database for subsequent repayment at harvest. Subsequently, harvest is guaranteed, with identified buyers and processors. Daily Trust on Sunday observed that scarcity of resources has forced many people in the state to embrace farming. This is in view of the fact that 90 per cent of the state’s population is already subsistent farmers, according to the 2015 National Bureau of Statistics report. This year, the state government earmarked 7.8 per cent of its entire budget to agriculture. Crop production, livestock development, irrigation and rainy season farming were identified as core areas that would be targeted in the next four years. Our reporter also confirmed from ministry officials that the governor personally and consistently chairs Agric Council meetings every Monday to monitor the progress of these initiatives. He also pays unscheduled visits to clusters and agric schemes across the state. To achieve the desired target, he also appointed two special advisers on rice and wheat production. According to the commissioner for agriculture in the state, Alhaji Kabiru Ali, 4,000 metric tons of assorted fertilizer have been distributed to farmers. “As part of our efforts to ensure food security, we have registered 45,000 farmers based on land holding sizes. Fertilizer will be distributed based on farm size. This means that even farmers outside the cluster groups are being incorporated into a state-wide database,’’ he said. The commissioner, who further explained that 20,000 hectares had already been developed using the cluster initiative, also added that additional 25,000 hectares would be targeted during the dry season, using the same technique. Out of the 20,000 hectares, 260 is for a pilot out-grower scheme by Dangote Rice, which is being expanded to 2,000HA this season and continuously till production target is met. Under the programme, 660 hectares, directly owned by the state agricultural agency, JASCO, will be cultivated using the youth agricultural scheme initiative where thousands of youths have been identified, acreage provided and training organised to boost their capacity and use their output as certified seeds for other farmers. The agency has since been capitalised with N2billion to provide these farmers with the needed inputs. “The youth cluster initiative is a comprehensive scheme wholly developed for efficiency and effectiveness as far as agriculture is concerned. Under this system, these groups of youth have been trained and provided with all needed facilities. By the end of the day, their seeds will be bought by the state government for onward sell to farmers in the state,’’ the commissioner added. At least 450 motorcycles have been distributed to all the extension workers to ensure that all the nooks and crannies of the state are covered. The extension workers have also been retrained and assigned to specific clusters. Also, 81 tractors have been deployed to cultivate these farms while plans are almost concluded to acquire more farming equipment. Further investigation showed that the initiative has attracted various investors to the state. Five private rice production companies, including Umza Rice Mill, Majest Rice Mill, Danmodi Mills and Klysite Foods and Beverages have all engaged over 5,000 farmers in the state. Another area the initiative is paying attention to is research. Governor Abubakar told our reporter that because of the significance of research to agriculture, his government would invest in it. This, he said, was an integral part of the initiative to take the state to a commercial farming status. To achieve this objective, the Jigawa Agricultural Research Institute is being repositioned. The pioneer director-general of the institute, Dr Hilton Gomes, a Brazilian, who was seconded from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), the largest agric research institute in South America, has been brought back to establish a memorandum of understanding with Brazil and restructure the institute to support the new initiative. This is aimed at strengthening the connection between research and field application so that farmers can have the benefit of cutting hedge techniques and protocols. An agricultural economist from Bayero University, Kano, Malam Zaharaddeen Isma’ila Gilima, told Daily Trust on Sunday that the country needed the Jigawa initiative to achieve commercial farming. “Experts have been arguing that for our nation to achieve food security, there must be concerted efforts to upgrade our current level of farming. The recent demonstration of will by the governor of Jigawa State is a welcome development. I hope they would pay equal attention to research, improvement and marketing,’’ Gilima said. It is estimated that when the cluster farming fully develops, the state would lead in the production of rice, groundnut, sesame and soya beans. It is left to be seen, how this initiative would transform the state into a viable commercial farming haven in the country. |
| Country | Nigeria , Western Africa |
| Industry | Food & Agriculture |
| Entry Date | 02 Sep 2016 |
| Source | http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/business/jigawa-targets-commercial-agriculture-through-cluster-farming/160467.html |
