By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
Niger State Government has said that it would soon unveil it’s masterplan in exploring the bounteous advantages in cultivating cash spinning crops for international markets for greater economic benefits to farmers in the state.
The government is set to launch an aggressive rebirth campaigns for farmer to embrace the cultivation of crops such as Cashew nuts, Ginger, Sesame, Soya Beans and other cash crops.
Niger has large expanse land covering over 90,000 square metres of arable land across the state that is suitable for the cultivation of almost all crops.
Its land is home to tubers, cereals, legumes, rice, maize, sorghum amongst several other cash and food crops.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello said the state is naturally endowed with alluvially fertile land where almost any crop could be grown with great prospects for large commercial farming.
The governor spoke during his recent visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe in the later’s office.
He told the Minister that some investors in the United Arab Emirate had, during his recent visit there, expressed interest to invest in the state’s agricultural sector particularly to explore the cultivation of Soya Beans, Ginger, Seasami seeds cashew nuts which can be cultivated in Niger state.
Governor Sani Bello said his administration was determined to explore the untapped agricultural sector to spur farmers in the state to go into massive cultivation of the money spinning crops.
He said with improved techniques in farming and introduction of improved hybrids seeds and seedlings, farmers in the state could key in to avail themselves of the new innovations to increase their farm yields and productivities for optimal economic gains.
The governor said his administration would lay all necessary grounds for farmer in the state to explore the advantages in cultivating such crops under guided ways to increase their outputs.
The Minister, Chief Ogbe acknowledged the endowments of the state, noting that Niger state has the land and richness of its soil suitable for most crops.
He said the federal government was ready to support and partner with the state to enable it actualise it’s objective in becoming a hub for commercial farming of such cash crops for exports which would attract more foreign exchange for the country.
