Niger government expends N8.7bn to boost agriculture

The Niger government said on Monday that it had spent N8.7 billion on agriculture from 2007 to 2013 . Alhaji Ibrahim Matane, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, said
 this in Minna while inaugurating the state chapter of Agbekoya Farmers Association (AFA).
``Since 2007, the state had committed the sum of N1.5 billion for the purchase of 241 tractors and implements for enhanced agricultural mechanisation, and over 78,000 metric tonnes of assorted  fertiliser valued at over N7.2 billion’’, he said.
Matane, who was represented by Mr John Ottah, Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on Agricultural Services, said government accorded the sector a  priority to use it as a base to propel the state's economy.    
He said government would encourage farmers’ cooperative groups in the state for increased productivity for local and international markets.
``The aim could only be achieved if the farmers associations have vibrant and trustworthy individuals at the helm of affairs’’, he said.
Matane urged commercial banks and wealthy individuals in the state to support farmers, saying that agriculture  was capital intensive but with high profit returns.
The commissioner also urged small scale farmers in the state who had not yet registered with the Growth Enhancement Support programme to do so in the next exercise later in the month.
He said those who registered would be supported by the state government with two bags of fertiliser at 50 per cent subsidy rate, free improved maize and rice seedlings and other support services.
 Chief Kamorudeen Okikiola, President-General of the association, urged the Federal Government to allocate 20 per cent of the nation’s budget to the agricultural sector to tackle the problem of food security in the country.
``With such a budget, job opportunities will be created and poverty among the womenfolk will also be eradicated’’, he said.
Okikiola called on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to come out with a guideline on how farmers in the country could access the N15 billion soft loan recently announced by the Federal Government.