Zulum to provide solar water pumps, fertilizers, subsidized fuel for farmers to boost food production
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has disclosed plans to boost food production by providing seedlings, fertilizers, solar water pumps generating sets alongside subsidized fuel to farmers in the state.
He added that the move would allow the state government to key in into President Tinubu’s agricultural agenda for food sufficiency through enhanced agricultural activities in places affected by the insurgency..
The governor who stated this Tuesday during his visit to Damasak town in Damasak LGA of the state.
“I am here today to see the living conditions of our people, especially those who have recently returned from the Niger Republic due to the ongoing conflict. My administration will do everything possible to ensure that we provide for their basic necessities.
” In order to provide sustainable means of livelihood to our people, we are taking deliberate steps to enhance agricultural productivity and alleviate the economic burden on farmers in the Damasak region,” Zulum said.
He added, “For the farmers in this community, the primary source of energy has been generators powered by fossil fuels. To alleviate this challenge, I will be providing assistance to the farmers soon. The government will identify two fueling stations and supply PMS and subsidies to reduce the cost of PMS for the farmers. This will enable them to purchase PMS at a lower price, making it more affordable for them to irrigate their farmlands.”
“Borno State government will also procure solar water pumps, and in addition to this, we will install drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation facilities in this town,” Zulum said.
It will be recalled that Damasak is located in the northern part of the state as an agricultural hub and one of the pilot sites for Borno’s agricultural rejuvenation.
It was once a stronghold of the insurgents before it was liberated by Nigerian security forces, which enabled the Zulum-led administration to reconstruct and resettle residents and cultivate vast farmlands.