Governor Buni launches the 2025 mega agricultural empowerment program in Yobe.

Governor Buni launches the 2025 mega agricultural empowerment program in Yobe.

By: Yahaya Wakili

In his efforts to enhance agriculture production, increasing food sufficiency and food security, as well as to improve the economy of the state. Yobe State Governor Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON has launched another 2025 Mega Agricultural Empowerment Program at August 27 Stadium, Damaturu. Saying agriculture remains the main occupation of over 90 percent of the state’s population, who are either engaged in crop production, livestock agriculture, or both.

Adding that, this becomes necessary for the government to be more committed to developing the sector for our people to migrate from subsistence farming to mechanized agriculture.

Governor Buni further revealed that, last year, the state government unveiled a mega Agricultural Empowerment Program that was launched by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, who was ably represented by the vice president, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima GCON. Governor Buni appreciates His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, piloting the affairs of our great country at this very challenging moment, adding that the commitment of your administration to security is no doubt yielding the desired result, with our communities having access to their farmlands with increased agricultural productivity for economic growth.

“Last year, Yobe state government procured agricultural machines, including 100 tractors, 889 hand push planters, 599 hand push tiller machines, 4,202 solar powered irrigation machines, over 1,000 harvesters, 72,000 bags of fertilizer, ox -drawn ploughs, small ruminants and assorted improved seedlings among others and distributed to over 5,300 beneficiaries across the 178 political wards in the state, the intervention by the state government last year contributed tremendously to the increase in food production and economic empowerment of our people, therefore, the government found it expedient to intensify this intervention to provide more support for more people to benefit and expand production.”

“This year, the government procured 40 Massey Ferguson tractors, 1,961 power tillers, 1,250 hand-push planters, 553 multipurpose threshers, 3,410 solar water pumps, 830 fertilizer applicators, 4,500 bags of NPK 20-10-10 fertilizer, 195 crop residue crushers, 495 crop residue choppers, 20,000 assorted improved seeds, assorted agrochemicals, 4,000 bunches of cassava stems, assorted certified seeds, 50 tricycles, and 30 motorcycles to be distributed to farmers across the state.”

“In line with our policy to promote agricultural development in the state, the governor directed that the machines, equipment, and other farm implements should be distributed free to deserving farmers and also directed a 50% subsidy on the sale of fertilizer to farmers, adding that this administration has carefully and systematically embarked on an all-inclusive, multi-sectorial approach to make our recovery program successful and beneficial to our people across the 17 local government areas.

He said his administration has prudently and judiciously managed the state resources to address the destruction caused by the protracted security challenge and other decays caused by aging, especially on structures predating the creation of the state. Adding that, the government has taken the bold and deliberate step to address the infrastructural challenges facing Damaturu after it became the capital of our dear state 34 years ago. This is to find solutions to the corresponding challenges of its growing size, increase in population, increase in the density of traffic flow, controlling the floods, and curbing the incessant menace of traffic accidents at the city center.

“I am proud to state with a very high sense of responsibility, humility, and satisfaction that our administration has over the years accorded great attention to all the critical sectors, including agriculture, education, healthcare delivery, road construction, water supply, wealth creation, and employment generation, to improve the lives of our people,” Buni said.

Governor Buni launches the 2025 mega agricultural empowerment program in Yobe.