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The recently
concluded National Council of Local Government Department of Agriculture
(NACOLGDA) where the Governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji sule Lamido was awarded
the best performed Excellency in agricultural development using indices of
Agricultural Transformation Agenda ( ATA) has decried the rate at which local animals are gradually disappearing due
to lack of proper management provision on the part of government just as disconnect
between the three tiers of governments was attributed to high poverty level at
the rural communities in the federation.
This
observation was coming on the heels of a lecture delivered by Dr. Monday
Ojeamiren titled “improving standard of living of rural communities through
sustainable livestock system” where local animals and birds are said to be going
into extinction due to neglect on the part of government as the present
agricultural transformation agenda would have better strived through allowing
rural communities to determine the crops and livestock of their choice by the law of comparative advantage rather
than generalizing inputs distribution at the select crops of the value chains
just as Jigawa state governor and two others,Ogun and Sokoto have been adjudged
as the best leaders that have positively affected the lives of rural farmers.
A director
from Gombe pointed that the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) did not really
consider the comparative crop advantage of the state which are millet, guinea
corn and groundnut based on soil ecological reason before giving seeds and
fertilizer inputs in rice, maize, sorghum and the rest to the farmers adding
the Federal government relegation of the local government in her activities
that targets rural farmers are part of the reason for rural urban migration and
poverty.
Although
stakeholders acknowledged the influence of the present Senior Operations
Specialist of the World Bank Dr. Adetunji Oredipe in ensuring that the local
government officials were carried along in the ATA registration of farmers when
they realized the first exercise had failed due to officials of the local
council authority non involvement adding that “the departure of Dr. Oredipo
from the position of the Senior Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of
Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina had caused the disconnect between Federal
government’s ATA and local government”
However Dr.
Ojeamiren decried in his lecture the shabby attitude of government to the
development of enhanced management policy for the breeding of our local birds and
animals like guinea fowls, dock , turkey, chicken, goat, sheep and ram for the
purpose of empowerment of rural people adding in short while all these animals
may become history in Nigeria if appropriate action is not taken by the three
tiers of governments especially for the purpose of using them to create
meaningful earning at the community levels.
The
Veterinary doctor added that local chicken management has to be developed as
they are not product of Genetically Modified Engineering (GMO) that required no
specific climate as they are adaptable to all ecologies based on their biological characters that is
already built in them stressed the rearing of glasscutter in the local
communities will give economic empowerment especially in the face of the ban on
bush meat based on dreaded Ebola disease thereby advising that government
should harness all these potential for the purpose of economic development of
the rural communities to checkmating youth restiveness and drift of people to
urban centres where they end up living in squalors.
He stated
further that the neglect of livestock is already making the country to loss out
in the billions of dollar economy in the production of animal meat as he stressed
that livestock sub sector of agriculture cross border in Nigeria as animals
like sheep, goat, chicken, local dogs, pigs, rabbitry can be reared in all the
geo political zones with high economic gains adding that derivatives from other
crops’ produce can be converted to animal feeds to reduce wastages.
Already, a
meeting of the D-8 which was slated for discussion of standard animal
production has been finally postponed for another indefinite time by the
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development after much elaborate preparation
that would have attracted a position paper towards finding solutions to some of
the animal and livestock production challenges.
Dr. Ojeaminren
however advised the NACOLGDA to be bold to ensure good policy and law for the
development of the rural areas especially in agriculture adding they should be
involved in all the public hearings where issue relating to rural agricultural development
is being heard so as to inject their contributions before such bills are passed
saying “doing this will hasten grassroots development and agricultural
transformation of rural farmers”
Meanwhile,
the association has awarded Governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Sule Lamido an
award of best performed Excellency who had used the organ of ATA to develop the
living standard of rural farmers according to the national President of
NACOLGDA, Comrade D.G Komolafe at the 10th annual conference and
general meeting held at Abuja.
In the
citation read before the presentation of the award to his Execellecy who was
represented by both the permanent secretaries of the Local government and
agriculture ministries, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and Dr. Mohammed Idrith Danzomo who
actually collected the award on behalf of the Governor said it was well
deserved honour based on his achievement in the sector.
Agricultural Achievement of Governor Sule Lamido
1. Establishment of farmers and Herdsmen
Board to take care of conflict due to pressure exerted on natural reserve which
is first of its kind in Nigeria.
2. He has rehabilitated Jigawa State
Agricultural Supply Company (JASCO) an input company with three retail outlets
across the 27 local council of the state.
3. Provided 375 tractors on loan to
farmers association in the state.
4. Revitalization of extension services
through provision of 364 motorcycles and four wheel drive pickup vehicles for
extension agents.
5. Establishment of Agricultural
research Institute in the state.
6. Demarcation of 531 grazing reserve
and development of 10 grazing reserve with improved pasture.
7. He provide wind powered watering
facilities to 80 grazing reserves
8. He established various pastoralist
committees at the state and local government levels
9. There is sustained annual vaccination
exercise for livestock in the 27 local councils.
10. Alhaji Sule Lamido provided 1000 tube
wells and pumps annually to small scale farmers throughout his 7 years in
office
11. He constructed 10 modern abattoirs
and wet salting shades.
12. Fishery facilities were provided for
500 women by his administration
13. Training of agricultural staff is one
major achievement as this will propel the development of the sector
14. He has put distribution of fertilizer
to local government at subsidized prices, a cardinal programme of his
administration
15. Re-demarcation of forest reverse, cattle
routes and grazing reserves is top most in the Excellency priority.
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