By Wasilat Ahmad
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As Niger state continues to explore areas to increase the revenue base of the state and tackle food shortage, the state government has said that it will need N203.6billion to invest in agricultural sector in the next four years.
Secretary to the Niger State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Matane disclosed this during a press conference and unveiling of the Niger state policy on agriculture and agriculture investment plan 2020-2024 (NSAIP).
He said that the money would be used to implement the Niger state Policy on Agriculture and Agriculture Investment Plan (NSAIP) for four years, adding that AGRA will provide funding support to the state through the state ministry of agriculture.
“For the four years proposed implementation period of the plan, it is estimated that a total of N203.6billion will be required to be invested in the sector and sourced from the state government, development partners and private sector,” he said.
Matane noted that the agriculture sector of the state remains the backbone of the state’s economy which is continuously being leveraged upon to ensure food sufficiency for its population, employment generation and stimulating agric industrial development.
He added that the state’s efforts in the sector has opened up the sector to different players both in the public and private sectors, development partners, investors and civil society organizations adding that one of the key challenges identified as affecting the growth and development of the sector is the absence of a policy on agriculture in the state.
“The agriculture policy provides a framework that enunciates the guidelines, structures, objectives, standards and strategies for achieving the much desired agricultural development in the state. The document is aligned with other Niger state strategic plan and relevant national, regional and global documents.
“The policy is focused on commodity value chain and actors engaged in crops, livestock, diary, fisheries and all other related activities. It also addressed issue relating to women in agriculture, food and nutrition security markets and infrastructures, promotion and development of agric-business and digital agriculture.
“Institutional arrangements that will facilitate the roles of the private sector, professional bodies, development partners and the civil society organizations were also highlighted in the document, “Matane said.
The SSG however noted that the NSAIP is a statewide intervention that maps out agricultural investments needed to achieve the state’s development objectives from 2020-2024.
He added that it is anchored on the budgeting process and the state’s agriculture sector medium term sector strategy (MTSS) based on federal government agricultural promotion policy and Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programmer (CAADP).
According to him, AGRA is also implementing a two-year capacity strengthening project for the ministry, adding that the policy and investment document has already been developed.
He revealed that the document can be accessed on the ministry’s website: www.nigeragric.org.
Alhaji Haliru Zakari, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, commended AGRA and other partners for complementing government’s efforts in prioritising agriculture in the state.
