Sokoto State Govt. procures fertiliser, water pumps worth N1.7bn to boost agriculture

Sokoto State Government has purchased 9,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser and 16,000 water pumps worth about N1.7 billion to be distributed to farmers in the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Alhaji Umaru Nagwari made the disclosure in Sokoto .

According to Nagwari, the assorted fertiliser and water pumps will be distributed to both dry and rainy season farmers across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

Nagwari said that the fertiliser, which comprised of Urea and NPK brands, were bought at about N8, 000 per bag but would be sold to the farmers at 75 per cent subsidy.

The commissioner also disclosed that the state executive council has approved the purchase of Faro rice seedlings worth about N392 million for distribution free to the farmers.

According to the commissioner, the state government will also subsidise the water pumps so that farmers can access it to boost their food production.

Nagwari told NAN that the state government had since conducted a comprehensive census of all genuine farmers across the state.

““This gesture is part of the measures put in place by the state government to ensure that only genuine farmers were given the commodities.

““This is in a bid to make a difference from the previous system where there were complaints of biases in the distribution of the
commodities.

““The present administration in the state is poised to ensuring that all the genuine farmers get these commodities right on time irrespective of their political party, ethnic or religious differences