The Borno State Government has established mega farms in 10 Local Government Areas to encourage more people return to farming, enhance food security.
Alhaji Bukar Talba, state Commissioner for Agriculture made this known while presenting the ministry’s score card at the ongoing Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing at Government House, Maiduguri.
Talba said that farm inputs were also supplied to farmers, alongside the resuscitation of the state fertilizer blending plant, while agro rangers and hunters were engaged to provide security to farmers.
“The ministry sets up mega farms in Konduga local government for cultivation of sesame and cow pea, in Ngala for rice, that of Dikwa also for rice, while the one in Mafa area is for sesame and cow pea.
“That of Gubio area is for millet and cow pea, the one in Damboa LG is for maize and cow pea. In Biu and Askira and Uba LGAs we cultivate maize.
“In Magumeri LG, we cultivate cow pea, while in Kaga we cultivate cow pea and sesame,” Talba said.
The commissioner said that government had also installed rice mill in Zabarmari, a popular rice farming community, while 2.1 million tomato seedlings had been produced for distribution to farmers.
According to him, this is alongside the training of 200 N-Power beneficiaries who are to serve as extension workers.
Alhaji Modu Buba, Commisioner who spoke on the achievement of the Ministry of Environment, said that it desilted major drainages in Maiduguri that were not attended to for many years.
Buba said the effort was to address the problem of perennial flooding in parts of the city.
“We already have a flood committee in existence and we have engaged consultant to review the drainage master plan which was designed in the early 70s,” Buba said.
He said that the ministry also completed modern waste disposal project at Jajeri area of Maiduguri to be commissioned any moment from now.
“We have re-introduced the long forgotten monthly sanitation to ensure clean environment and contain the practice of indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” the commissioner said.
He also said that the ministry had raised 2.7 million seedlings out of the planned 10 million tree seedlings within three years to combat desertification in collaboration with some organisations.
Also, Commissioner, Ministry of Animal and Fisheries, Mrs Juliana Bitrus, said that the committee on sales and marketing of fish in the state set up by Gov. Babagana Zulum under her ministry had generated millions of revenue.
Bitrus said that the ministry hope to generate more when it extended the committee to also cover livestock.
She noted that the ministry received support in various areas with the collaboration of some NGOs and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
She added that the areas include, training of personnel and the vaccination of 120,000 livestock comprising cattle, sheep and goats in Konduga, Jere and Kaga Local Government Areas.
