Special Adviser, Zamfara Directorate of Accelerated Cotton Development, ZAMDACOD, Abdullahi Maiturare, had disclosed in a press conference in Gusau last week that the Zamfara State Government will be supporting a total of 60,000 cotton and rice farmers under its new agriculture partnership scheme.
The project will be executed in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the state government has disclosed.
Maiturare also explained that the scheme was part of efforts to fulfill the campaign promises of Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, who had assured of his readiness to revive agriculture in the state.
The special adviser further noted that scheme will finance the farmers through commodity associations.
“Under this arrangement, 30,000 farmers each from the cotton and rice sectors would benefit from the partnership. The program is already in top gear,” he said.
According to him’ beneficiaries for the scheme will come through the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) and the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).
In a bid to see to the success of the programme as well as to remedy the shortage of lands for farming occasioned by insecurity, among others reasons, Maiturare added that the state had already dedicated 130,000 hectares of farmland for cotton farming located across the 17 emirates of the state.
The governor’s aide also disclosed that the state government in collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council had secured 4.5 tons of cotton seeds.
“Equally, the state government in collaboration with the Raw Material Research and Development Council has secured 4.5 tons of cotton seed suitable for our farmlands which was estimated to cover 2,000 hectares. The gestures are geared towards supporting cotton farmers with improved variety seed free of charge. This is in addition to the allocation of two utility vehicles to the Directorate by the state government,” he added.
On the efforts to revamp agriculture in the state, Maiturare explained that the current administration has been making efforts to revive some sectors that had been neglected, including cotton production.
“This necessitated the reorganization of the Directorate of Accelerated Cotton Development known as ZAMDACOD, and why we have been assigned to pilot the activities of the directorate,” he added.
In the same vein, Maiturare enjoined the people of the state especially the farmers, to show support for the state government’s policies and programs in appreciation of its kind gestures and laudable efforts.
