Governor Buni’s Exemplary Agricultural Revolution in Yobe State

GOVERNOR BUNI’S EXEMPLARY AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION IN YOBE STATE

By Mamman Mohammed

For over a decade, the Boko Haram security challenge brought agricultural practice and productivity in the North east sub region especially in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states referred to as the BAY States to the lowest ebb, primarily due to displacements and inaccessibility to the farmlands posed by security threats, other natural factors, as well as ban on use of fertilizer for a very long time.

The people of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states are predominantly farmers, therefore, agriculture was and still is, the major preoccupation of the populace. With the growing improvement in peace and security, governments are now considering measures to upscale agriculture to guarantee food sufficiency and security and to recover the peoples means of livelihood and economy.

Yobe state government, on Saturday 20th July 2024, set the pace with a monumental launch of a very ambitious Agricultural Empowerment Programme, providing multi-billion Naira equipment, implements, fertilizer, improved seeds, agro-chemicals, vehicles and motorcycles for extension services among others, that is ever witnessed in the history of government interventions.

Yobe state Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, in his speech at the Saturday’s launch of the programme, said “Yobe State as you know is one of the states grossly devastated by protracted security challenge. The inaccessibility to farmlands due to security threat and other natural factors such as erosion, desert encroachment, low rainfall etc have massively affected agricultural productivity with monumental consequences on the lives of our predominantly agricultural population, and the economy of the state”

Buni added “In spite of all the challenges, agriculture remains the major preoccupation of our people. With the improvement in security across the state, farmlands are now accessible in almost all the local government areas. This made agriculture the key sector for the post-insurgency economic recovery programme of the state government

Governor Buni explained that the mega agricultural empowerment programme is intended to turn around the face of agriculture in the state in which 30 farmers from each of the 178 electoral wards of the State would be supported making a total of 5,340 farmers to benefit from the scheme. He said “Except for the tractors and fertilizer, all the other agricultural equipment and inputs are to be given out free to our large scale, medium and subsistence farmers. These efforts we believe will augment large scale agro-value chain development in the State”.

Lined up for distribution were 100 Zoom Lion Tractors, 300 sets of Ox-drawn ploughs, 5,349 small ruminants (goats), 1,349 hand push planters, 889 hand-push plough machines, 590 hand-push tiller machines, 4,202 solar-powered irrigation water pumps, over 1,000 harvesters, improved assorted seeds and 72,000 bags of fertilizer, 1,000 threshers, 10 IMC Double Cabin 4 wheel drive vehicles for supervision of extension service workers, 200 motor cycles to extension service workers to boost agricultural extension services across the state.

The state government had before the launch of the empowerment programme conducted its NEEDS assessment programme to revitalize the sector, These includes :-

i. Convening of Agricultural Summit to chart a new course for improvement in productivity,

ii. Constitution of a Steering Committee on Revitalization of Agriculture, and development of a State Sector Strategic Plan in conjunction with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,

iii. Developed agricultural policy documents to achieve food security and contribute to National economic diversification. The document has been validated in collaboration with EU-Yobe Public Finance Management (PFM) Project, in conjunction with DAI international.

iv. The Yobe State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government has established Livestock Development Centers (LDCs) to curb farmers/ herdsmen clashes, commercial pasture production, and increase in meat and dairy production.

v. The State is currently reviving 2000 hectares Lava Irrigation Scheme in Bursari Local Government Area to cultivate wheat, rice and vegetables in the next dry season irrigation programme.

vi. As a leading state with the largest production of high quality Sesame seeds, we have established four Sesame Seeds processing factories in Damaturu, Nguru, Machina and Potiskum.

vii. Government has also awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of the Agricultural Devel­opment Programme Headquarters in Damaturu and the five Zonal Offices in Buni-Yadi, Geidam, Gashua, Nguru and Potiskum to enhance effective and accessible extension services to our farmers.

viii. The Damaturu International Cargo Airport would effectively be used to transport livestock, meat, dairy products, Gum Arabic, Sesame seeds, cowpea and groundnuts within and outside the country.

According to the governor, the state government has instituted some measures to check abuse and sale of the machines by the beneficiaries to avoid sabotaging the lofty goals of the intended agricultural revolution in the state. The tractors are to be in custody of the State Agricultural Development Programme at the Headquarters in Damaturu and the zonal offices in Buni Yadi, Geidam, Gashua, Nguru and Potiskum, to be hired out to individuals and group farmers. The Agricultural Development Programme would be carefully monitored to ensure efficiency in service, effective maintenance and accountability in proceeds accruing from the hire of the tractors.

Governor Buni warned “let me warn in strong terms that government would not tolerate any act of sabotage to frustrate our commitments to make agriculture attractive, profitable, sustainable and economically viable and to guarantee food sufficiency and food security in the state. Therefore, government would deal ruthlessly with any official, individual or group who tests our will in this regard. I hereby direct the security agencies to arrest and impound tractors and other machines crossing the border lines of the state, while such saboteurs are made to face the full wrath of the law.”

“Let me use this opportunity to passionately appeal to the good people of Yobe state to take advantage of this laudable opportunity to embrace agriculture for us to cultivate and produce what we eat to ensure food security and economic development.^

The governor reminded the people of the sad and unfortunate experiences in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states during the trying moments of adverse security challenges when the people could not access their farmlands as peace eluded the North East, and the need to take advantage of the improved peace and security in the region now, warning that “we know better, what the absence of peace means. We have many sad stories to tell from our horrible experiences. We cannot afford to invite any other threat to peace and security. Therefore, we should jealously guard the peace we now enjoy and never be part of any plot to disturb our hard-earned peace”.

He continued “we must not create opportunities for our common enemies to take advantage of any form of protest to send us into another dark and horrible experience. Therefore, Yobe state is categorically saying NO to protests, and would not participate in any form of protest by whatsoever name. We should remain faithful, prayerful and optimistic as the federal government under the leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is taking drastic measures to address all the challenges. This agricultural revolution we are embarking on, is in tandem with the Federal Government’s Food Security and Agricultural Mechanization Agenda. I urge you all to support the programme for us to succeed”.

President Bola Ahmad Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, lauded governor Buni, saying “the provision of massive agricultural machines and implements by the Yobe state government has no doubt prepared the ground for agricultural revolution in the state. I am optimistic that at the end of the cropping season, the people of the state would have sufficient food with more for exports’.

Tinubu said Yobe state is blessed with abundant arable lands, rivers and oases. It also has a very energetic youthful population, and the government has massively provided machines and equipment. It therefore becomes challenging for the people, especially the youth to take this opportunity to be gainfully employed.

The President graciously approved provision of mini-rigs for tube wells, solar water pumps, agro-chemicals, power tillers, more fertilizers and other farm implements to support the state irrigation scheme in the state to attain food sufficiency, food security and economic growth.

This intervention has no doubt prepared the grounds to make agriculture attractive, profitable and sustainable in the state and to transform Yobe state as a hub of agricultural production for local consumption and exports for economic growth.