Sokoto state government plans to purchase 9,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer and 16,000 water pumps worth about N 1.7 billion.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Umaru Nagwari made the disclosure in Sokoto on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting.

According to Nagwari, the assorted fertilizers and water pumps will be distributed to both dry and rainy season farmers across the 23 local governments of the state.

Nagwari stated further that the fertilizers which comprised of Urea and NPK brands will be bought at about N 8,000 per bag and would be sold to the farmers at 75 per cent subsidy.
“The state government will also heavily subsidize the water pumps so as to enable the farmers to produce more food for the state and Nigeria in general,” he added.

The commissioner also disclosed that the council has approved the purchase of Faro rice seeds worth about N 392 million for distribution free to the farmers.

Nagwari further said that the state government had since conducted a comprehensive census of all genuine farmers across the state.

“This gesture is part of the measures put in place by the state government to ensure that only genuine farmers were given the commodities. This is in a bid to make a difference from the previous system where there were complaints of biases in the distribution of the commodioties.

“The present administration in the state is poised to ensuring that all the genuine farmers get these commodities right on time and devoid of any political party, ethnic or religious differences. Food security is next to nothing and the state government will not in any way toy with its sustainable provision to the people of the state,” Nagwari, added.
Similarly, the council had endorsed the planned establishment of a Tomato processing company and tractors assembling company in collaboration with Erisco Foods Limited.