Recently, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto State kicked off sale of 3,000 metric tonnes of assorted fertilizer worth N400 million to farmers as well as distribution of relief materials to victims of flood and drought disasters in six local government areas of the state, whose cost was to the tune of N100million. Bello Gusau writes on the agricultural programmes of the state government and the challenges of implementing them by the government.UNDOUBTEDLY, agriculture is the mainstay of the people of Sokoto State. And the current administration of Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko seems to recognise the fact that its much touted economic transformation agenda of the state depends to a large extent on the growth of the agricultural sub-sector of the state.This is more so in view of the fact that in-spite of various programmes carried out by the state government last year in the area of agriculture, such as the procurement of N1.5 billion assorted fertilizer for wet and dry season farming, which was sold at subsidised rates, the Fadama 111 project and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) which is a loan facility for farmers, both of which programmes the state government is a signatory to, it had in addition ventured into procurement and sale of tractors through Public Private Partnership (PPP). Only recently, the state government paid N232,687,500.00 million as outstanding payment for 82 tractors procured through PPP.And knowing the place of Sokoto State in agricultural practice in time past, the Wamakko administration awarded contract for the construction of the first phase of College of Agriculture in Wurno at the cost of N1.2 billion with a view to producing indigenous extension workers and agricultural experts to assist farmers in the state in traditional and mechanised farming.Furthermore, the state government had entered into a partnership with a Turkey based firm called GAP Engineering Services for the industrial production of rice, vegetables and fruits to be cultivated on 11,500 hectares of land at Silame local government area of the state. The project, which was estimated to gulp billions of Naira, was expected to be signed sometime this year and the state government had allocated N500 million in this year's budget for the take off of the project. After the project is signed, it is expected to take up to two years to commence fully as it would take quite sometime for infrastructure of the project to be completed to pave way for planting and harvesting.In what appeared to be a bold step by the Sokoto State government to revamp the agricultural sub-sector, the Wamakko administra-tion recently flagged-off sale of fertilizer to dry season farmers across the state and the distribution of water pumping machines, pesticides and wet season crops' seeds to last year's victims of flood and drought disasters in six local government areas of the state held at Kware, the headquarters of Kware local government area of the state.In his welcome address, the chairman of Kware local government council, Alhaji Abubakar Zamau expressed happiness at the choice of his area for the flag-off of the sale of fertilizer for dry season farming in the state.He commended the state Governor for executing policies and programmes that touched on the lives of rural dwellers in the state whose main occupation was farming.Also speaking, the state commissioner of agriculture, Dr Jabbi Kilgori said this year, the sale of fertilizer for dry season farming was joined with assistance to victims of flood and drought in six local government areas who incurred about 30% to 40% losses last year as part of the governor's concern for the plight of his people.He further disclosed that the fertilizer procured was to the tune of 3,000 metric tones which is equivalent to 63,600 bags and which total cost was N400 million while the implement and input to be distributed as assistance to victims of flood and drought disasters was to the tune of N100 million.Kilgori said the fertilizer was to be sold to all dry season farmers in the state at a heavily subsidised rate without recourse to political party affiliation.He said the state government bore the cost of transporting the commodity to each of the three senatorial zones of the state and directed local councils to bear the cost of transportation of the fertilizer to their respective to local government areas.The Sokoto agriculture commissioner said the target for the distribution of the commodity was to empower small and medium scale farmers in the state to produce cash crops for the overall economic development of the state.He however said this time around, it would not be business as usual as according to him, the government had set up committees to monitor the sale of the commodity to the right people who were the dry season farmers.Dr Jabbi said as a policy thrust of the present administration, the state government would partner with institutions and firms in and outside the country for the development of agriculture in the state.In his speech, Governor Wamakko started by thanking God for giving Sokoto people a fertile land for agricultural purposes.He said it was in view of that that his administration procured an additional 85 tractors for sale at affordable prices to farmers.The Governor said the government had given its counterpart fund for Fadama 111 programme for this year which was to the tune of N50 million while each of the 23 local government councils gave N2 million counterpart fund for the programme.He added that the state government also paid N190 million counterpart fund for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) while the local government councils gave a commulative sum of N500 million as their counterpart fund for the remaining period of completion of the programme which had been extended by 2(two and a half) years.He said arrangement had reached an advanced stage for the signing of industrial rice production agreement between the state government and a Turkey based company called GAP engineering services in which 11,500 hectares would be cultivated at Silame local government area of the state.Governor Wamakko said the measure was borne out of the determination by his administration to harness the abundant agricultural potentials in the state for the overall economic growth of the state. He equally stated that the gesture would help in curbing rural/urban drift among the people of the state as well as keep youth engaged, thereby, making them self-reliant in order for them to escape being used by selfish politicians as political party thugs.He rounded off by saying that as the commodity had been subsidised by 75%, each bag of NPK would be sold at N1,700 while a bag of Urea would cost N1,800 but warned that it would be given away on cash and carry basis.The Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Rt Honourable Lawal Muhammad Zayyana, sold fertilizer to a select number of farmers; so also the representative of Sultan Sad Abubakar at the occasion, the Baraden Wamakko, Alhaji Salihu Barade while Governor Wamakko himself distributed the 500 water pumping machines, pesticides and seeds to the flood and drought victims who hail from Kware, Goronyo, Wurno, Gada, Silame and Sabon-Birni local government areas of the state as well as to the representatives of the state branch of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).For the state government to kick off the sale of fertilizer for dry season farming at the right time so as to begin preparation for the procurement of the commodity for wet season farming expected to commence between April to May, it means that the Wamakko-led administration has got its priorities right in terms of empowering Sokoto people to attain economic development. That was because, to the people of Sokoto, nothing could be more important than having a leader who would lead their journey to economic self-rediscovery. However, in order for the government to realise its objective of engaging Sokoto people in farming activities, there is the need for a political-will on its part to ensure that the commodities such as fertilizer and implements procured reached the intended beneficiaries by shielding political stalwarts and businessmen from taking undue advantage of the gesture to enrich themselves at the expense of real-time farmers in the state.
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