By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse
As part of Initiative of encouraging civil servants to engage in farming and boosting food production, the Jigawa state government has made available the sum of N3.3 billion as a loan for the Agricultural Support Programme for Civil Servants in the state.
Governor Umar Namadi, while flagging off the disbursement of the loan facility on Monday at premises of the state’s Agricultural Distribution Company (JASCO), said the initiative was aimed at addressing food security, economic empowerment, and improved livelihoods for civil servants in the state.
“While supporting the efforts of participating civil servants to feed their families and provide them with additional means of livelihoods, the program is part of our overall agricultural transformation initiative aimed at achieving food security and economic diversification for Jigawa state and the nation in general.
“The strategy involves not only getting more people participating in agricultural production but bringing more land under cultivation. This initiative is a testimony of our administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of our workforce and the overall development of our dear State”, Mr Namadi said at the event.
The governor noted that the programme would help cushion the prevailing economic situation in the country characterised by rising food prices which has eroded the purchasing power of workers’ salaries.
“There is no doubt that the soaring cost of food items has placed an enormous burden on our people, particularly our workforce who earn a fixed income. This we are doing within the context of our overall agricultural transformation agenda.
“It aligns with our broader vision of transforming Jigawa State into an agricultural hub, and we believe by encouraging workers to participate in farming, we are contributing to increased food production, reduced reliance on food imports, and the overall development of our rural economy”, Mr Namadi said.
He maintained that for the current farming season, the programme targets rice, sorghum, millet, and sesame production, while emphasizing that the programme would seek to provide targeted support in the form of cost inputs supply and soft cash loans for farm operations to cover the cost of labour and other farm management expenses.
“The package comprises N250,000 for millet, sorghum, and sesame which will cover the cost of inputs consisting of 3 bags of NPK and 1 bag of UREA per hectare and provision of assorted chemicals and pesticides with the balance of the money provided to cover operational cost.
“For those cultivating rice, the package is up to 500,000 Naira to cover the costs of 6 Bags of NPK and 3 bags of Urea per hectare and assorted chemicals and pesticides and cash balance to cover the cost of other farm operations”, the governor added.
Namadi said the programme targets all the civil servants in the state but phase one of the programme covers over 8,430 civil servants from both the state and local government services and about 400 public and political officer holders.
“It is important to point out that the government intends to institutionalise the Jigawa Workers Agricultural Support Program as a Revolving Loan to be implemented during all planting seasons – both rain-fed and irrigation.
“Accordingly, to effectively sustain the programme just as we have the Car and Motor Vehicle Loans for Civil Servants, the initial funding provided for the implementation of the Program must be safeguarded at all costs.
“I, therefore, urge all beneficiaries of the programme to abide by its conditions. Critical among these is utilizing the inputs package and funds to be provided for intended purposes and ensuring that repayment is done as and when due”, the governor stated.
Giving an overview of the programme, the Chairman of the Technical Committee on Agricultural Support Programme, s Malam Muhammad Kandira Dagaceri said the it was intended to encourage workers to engage in mass farming, in addition to boost food security and provide workers with additional source of incomes, thereby reducing their over reliance on salaries.
Dagaceri, who is the State Head of Service outlined the benefits of the programme to include among others enhanced financial stability for workers and increased agricultural productivity, ultimately fostering a more resilient and self-sufficient Jigawa state.
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