The Jigawa State Government has launched the Date Palm Development Program, an initiative designed to boost agriculture, restore the environment, and create jobs for young people across the state.
Speaking at the official launch held at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Fanisau, Dutse, Governor Umar Namadi described the programme as a long-term investment that would bring lasting benefits to families and communities in Jigawa.
“The programme we are launching today is unique being a multi-pronged initiative with multiple outcomes across several sectors of the state’s economy, with a long-lasting impact on the socio-economic wellbeing of our people and prosperity of our state,” Namadi said.
The initiative entails the planting of over 200,000 date palm seedlings across 1,042 hectares of land in selected Local Government Areas. More than 2,000 youths will be directly engaged as custodians of the plantations.
At the event, the governor also presided over the graduation of 400 young men and women from Birniwa, Babura, Sule-Tankarkar, and Yankwashi LGAs, who completed intensive training in plantation establishment, cultivation, management, and value addition. Each graduate will manage half a hectare of land and receive a monthly allowance for two years under expert supervision.
Governor Namadi commended the committee behind the programme’s design and implementation and announced that a second phase would be rolled out in June 2026. He added that the initiative would complement the Federal Government’s Great Green Wall Project, thereby strengthening environmental resilience and contributing to food security and economic growth.
Experts at the launch highlighted the enormous economic potential of date farming. Dr Abdulhamid Hamza Muhammad of the Nigerian Institute of Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) explained that a single date palm tree can yield up to 70 kilograms annually, noting that a youth managing one hectare could earn over N7 million per year.
A consultant, Mr Rabi’u Ayuba Kazaure, projected that the initiative could generate over N47 billion annually in date palm sales across the state.
