Pages
▼
Thursday, 29 January 2015
Looking at JASCO from inputs and production impact on farmers.
The Jigawa Agricultural Supply Company Limited (JASC0) is very strategic when it comes to both animal and crop inputs` support to small household farmers in the state cum the neighbouring ones like Kano, Bauchi, Yobe and Kastina with evidence of what the food farm news sees on its visit to where young farmer are using mechanized machine to harvest rice and seeds centre at Birin kudu.
At the inception of this administration in 2007, Dr. Sule Lamido, the Executive Governor of the state, according to the General Manager (GM) JASCO, Alhaji Hassan Idris Girbobo had to set up this outfit (JASCO) for the purpose of tackling the challenges of small scale farmers not getting input supplies as only less than 10% of them are enjoying the government`s subsidy which is meant to enhance food production and wealth saying “ when this administration came in 2007 based on diagnosis, we discovered that less 10% of our small holders’ farmers are using improved inputs for their production. This improve inputs include seeds, agro chemicals and other essential ones.
Through this company, the GM, Alhaji Girbobo told us that farmers` capacity have been built in terms of using mechanized inputs to enhance both crops and animals` production thereby creating jobs and wealth through more earning occasioned by labour cost effectiveness as a visit to irrigated rice plantation at Gamsarka where harvest is ongoing revealed the positive impact of JASCO as regards provision of modern tools for quick planting, harvesting and processing.
Speaking with the head of farmers at the rice plantation site, Mallam Ibrahim Garuba said the government assistance through JASCO has really assisted them in mechanized ways of planting and harvesting with combined machine saying it has really reduced labour cost as more youths are being employed because they are now attracted to farming with the use of mechanization method and use of improved seeds of rice Faro 44.
The injection of combined harvesters into farming activities in the state according to Alhaji Girbobo was the belief of His Excellency as a means of attracting youths into farming which is already yielding dividend as of them are already keying into farming as food farms news` visit to Gamsarka irrigated rice plantation confirmed some of the youths using the modern machine to harvest and thresh thereby reducing hard work and losses that is usually recorded during harvest.
He added the importance of rice production in this dispensation to checkmate exorbitant import bill and generate job for our teeming youths has necessitated the state government to assisting farmers with a combine rice harvester thereby reducing hard work of cutting, heaping and threshing with more coverage of larger expanse of land in less time. We also provide net against invasion of birds from far countries as this easily handled simple machine by the youths will make farming easy in planting, harvest and processing in very holistic manner.
It was obvious that the activities of JASCO in the state cut across both animals` nutritional food, and crops inputs as about seven (7) agro chemical have been customized according to the JASCO GM to checkmate adulteration, and thereby enhancing economic power of farmers just as he pointed that animals nutritional food are being given to livestock farmers during critical period to compliment ATA of the Federal government.
Alhaji Girbobo said “in animal feeds production as it is imperative to compliment the effort in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) through the supply of nutritive feed to the livestock farmers especially during the critical feeding period which is April-June. Feeds for dairy cattle ‘fatling and reproductive rations are produced using local available materials which are scientifically formulated to meet the nutritional requirement of the livestock”
At the Birinkudu seeds centre, food farm news saw work going on towards enhancing the tonnage production per hour based on the increased demand of improved seeds of rice, sorghum, cowpea, sesame, millet groundnut by farmers in the state and the neighboring ones.
“This year we process five tons per hour and what you are seeing today is the installation of these machine for more production of certified seeds which we sell to farmers at a very subsidized price lower than other private seeds companies in the country as our own price is 5% lower than other. The quality of our seeds cannot be compromised because the farmers know our logo very well and National Agricultural Seeds Council can attest to the quality of our seeds. In the last GES we are made to supply the state and Kano which we did effectively well” said the GM.
No comments:
Post a Comment