By AbdulRahman Obaje
Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State says his administration is not just prioritising agriculture but it is at the centre of his Development Agenda.
According to the Governor, that is why the state government is enabling a year-round farming with modern equipment.
Sani made this known at the launch of the ‘Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Programme’, which took place at the Murtala Square, Kaduna on Sunday.
The governor disclosed that his government had allocated 10 per cent of the 2025 budget to the agricultural sector in line with the Malabo benchmark set by African Heads of States and Governments in Equatorial Guinea in June 2014.
‘’ Today, we are launching the Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Programme’, a game-changing initiative designed to ensure that our farmers can produce food all year-round.
‘’Under this programme, we are distributing 100,000 bags of fertilizer, both NPK and Urea, to enhance soil fertility and boost yields,’’ the governor further said.
According to Sani, the state had also procured 500 power tillers to assist smallholder farmers in land preparation and 2,000 knapsack sprayers for effective pest and disease control.
He added that the state government had also bought 10,000 water pumps, most of which were solar-powered to support irrigation and ensure uninterrupted farming during the dry season.
The governor further said that his administration was also providing high-quality seeds and agrochemicals to improve productivity across the state.
He maintained that the state government was addressing the herder-farmer conflict by investing in water infrastructure, rehabilitating grazing reserves, and strengthening community dialogue mechanisms to foster peaceful coexistence.
The governor disclosed, ‘’ Kaduna State has attracted the Africa Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC), a major facility supported by AFREXIMBANK that will provide vital testing, certification, and inspection services for agricultural products.
‘’ We have commenced the construction of this project which will not only enhance Kaduna State’s agricultural exports but also position our state as a hub for testing, certification and inspection services for agricultural products in West Africa.”
Sani further said that his government had commenced the construction of a ‘Special Agricultural Processing Zone (SAPZ)’, a partnership between the Kaduna State Government and the African development Bank (AfDB).
According to him, the zone would be provided with necessary infrastructure, adding, ‘’oit will offer a bigger market for farmers and serve as a magnet for increased production and greater value – addition for agricultural produce.’’
The governorovernor thanked President Bola Tinubu for all the support that he has been giving to the state in the Agricultural sector, arguing that his administration couldn’t have achieved this milestone without the support.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Murtala Dabo, disclosed that under the Sani’s administration, they have seen an unprecedented increase in budgetary support for agriculture.
‘’ In 2023, the sector received just ₦1.48 billion, a modest 0.4 per cent of the state budget.
“This rose dramatically in 2024 to ₦23.40 billion when Sani came into office, representing 5.1 per cent l of the total budget, a 1,473 per cent increase.
‘’ In 2025, the allocation reached ₦74.02 billion, bringing agriculture to 9.4 per cebt of the state budget, marking an astonishing 4,871 per cent increase in just two years.
“This level of commitment underscores the governor’s determination to make agriculture a pillar of economic growth, ensuring food security, job creation, and improved livelihoods for our people.’’
The commissioner maintained that agriculture was already contributing over 43 per cent to the state’s GDP and it employs a substantial proportion of our workforce.
Dabo said,”With this level of investment, we are not just supporting farmers, but we are building an economy that is self-sustaining, productive, and resilient.’’
In his goodwill message, the Minister of State of Agriculture, Sen. Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, said,” By increasing his budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector, the governor was putting his money where his mouth is.”
The minister also called on other states to follow the Kaduna State’s example so that Nigerian farmers can increase their yields.
He congratulated the governor for the return of peace in Birnin Gwari and other local governments, adding that it was a pleasant news that farmers had returned to their farms.
Sabi-Abdullahi said that with the farming implements and farm inputs that were distributed, the productivity of the state’s farmers would increase, adding that that would translate to more food for the citizens.(NAN)