Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed today performed the official flagging off ceremony for the 2021 Crop Demonstration Packages with two thousand farmers selected as beneficiaries of improved maize, rice, soybean and millet cultivations.
During the occasion held at the BSADP Headquarters Bauchi, Governor Bala said farmers in the 20 local government areas of the State will benefit from one to five of the newly improved crop varieties.
The Governor also launched local poultry upgrading, small ruminants breeding, livestock feed alternative using Napier Grass and crop seedlings program to assist beneficiaries produce more.
He added that about 2000 livestock farmers will benefit from the newly introduced Napier Grass cuttings, while twenty communities will benefit from local poultry upgrading using Noiler Cocks.
According to Governor Bala ninety communities will benefit from the small ruminant breeding program packages which include seeds, fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, noiler cocks, napier grass cuttings among others.
He said the outcome of the initiative will contribute positively help to improve varieties of crops, animal feed and local poultry as well as youth and women job opportunities.
He pointed out that, his administration has provided an enabling environment for the BSADP to discharge its mandate of linking with Agricultural Research Institutions within and outside the country to search for new technologies for transfer to the farmers in the state.
He however appreciated all the research institutions and non-Governmental organizations that are working in partnership with Bauchi State Government through the BSADP, towards the realization of set objective.
Governor Bala said his administration placed a premium on agriculture not only as means of food production, but for economic empowerment and it will implement its agricultural policy to achieve food security, poverty reduction, job creation and income generation through the value chain process.
In their separate remarks, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Programme Manager, Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme, Abubakar Jafaru Ilelah reassured Governor Bala of their total support to his administration for the advancement of agricultural sector in the state.
