The Yobe State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mairo Amshi, said the ministry has spent over N2.9 billion on the purchase of fertilizers since 2019.
At the ministers’ briefing in Damaturu, Mrs. Amshi said that 1.5 billion of the funds were spent on the purchase of 3000 tons of NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer in 2021.
Mrs. Amshi said the distribution and sale of fertilizer continued through the open market at a subsidized rate of N13,000 per bag.
The commissioner also said that in 2020, 1.4 billion dollars was spent on the purchase of 7,500 tons of NPK 15:15:15.
He added that the commodity was sold at N5,000 per bag representing a 40 per cent subsidy to farmers.
According to him, in 2019, the provincial government spent 882 million dollars on the purchase of 40 tractors. He said it was given as loans to large scale farmers of N11 million each to be repaid over four years.
Ms. Amshi said that the state, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), vaccinated more than 1.2 million cattle, sheep, goats and dogs during the period under review.
The Livestock Development Program of the state is supported by 135 veterinarians, 47 animal science scientists, five equipped veterinary clinics and 17 Area Veterinary/Livestock offices in the state, the commissioner said.
He said the state in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has established livestock development centers in Jakusko/Nasari, Badegana and Gurjaje grazing reserves.
Ms. Amshi said the facilities already provided at the centers include boreholes, earthen dams, veterinary clinic, fodder area, fish ponds, access roads, electricity, artificial insemination and milk collection units, among others.
Similarly, the commissioner said the state has established Livestock Research and Breeding Centers (LIBC) in Nguru to boost livestock production.
To increase irrigated farming, he said so far more than 2,000 hectares of land has been acquired for the 2022 LAVA irrigation scheme in some parts of the state.
Mrs. Amshi said the state has established the North East Broadcasting Station of the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) in Damaturu in conjunction with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The commissioner added that the state has received approval to participate in the Livestock Productivity and Sustainability Support Program (L-Pres Program) of the federal government.
(IN)