Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state has established Expert Working
Committee on agriculture to advice government and make recommendations on how best to boost agricultural activities in the state.
Buni, made the declaration Monday at the opening of a maiden four-day
retreat on agriculture with a theme “Enhancing Agricultural activities
for food security and economic growth” were researchers and academia
in the agriculture sector met to cross-fertilise idea and enhance
agricultural production in the state.
“Despite the commendable efforts of previous administration in the
state, there are still challenges to be met. Low productivity of the
traditional agricultural system, weak research and extension service,
limited access to improved seeds, low level of agricultural mechanisation, poor access to credit facilities – all these are factors that are largely subsist,” he said
The governor said he believed that with a little effort, agriculture
holds the key to boundless opportunities that people can tap into it
significantly to improve the living standard of the citizenry.
The Guest speaker and former governor of Adamawa State, Vice Admiral
Murtala Nyako rtd, said Nigeria is badly lacking in agriculture that was why the country could not meet the target of food security.
He said because people are hungry, many were involved into crime of
Boko Haram, kidnapping, banditry, among others.
In their goodwill messages, the governors of Jigawa and Kebbi states,
Mohammed Badaru and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu called on the stakeholders
to embrace agriculture and support the government.
They said the federal government is willing to partner with farmers across the country that was why it spent over N200billion under its anchor programme to ensure food sufficiency.
In his remark, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Country Director, Suffyan Koroma, urged the government to strengthen agricultural agencies in the state, saying its organisation had established 20 fields offices in Yobe in its quest to render supports.
There are 16 paper presentations expected before the end of the retreat.
