By Abdullahi Lukman
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has said that the state government allocated 10 percent of its 2025 budget to the agricultural sector in compliance with the Malabo benchmark set by African Heads of States in 2014.
At the launch of the Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Program at Murtala Square, Sani underscored agriculture as central to his administration’s development agenda, which advised the state embark on all-year-round farming with modern equipment.
He said the Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Program the state government has embarked upon aims to ensure continuous food production in the state.
Under the program, the state will distribute 100,000 bags of fertilizers, including NPK and Urea, to boost soil fertility. Additionally, 500 power tillers, 2,000 knapsack sprayers, and 10,000 solar-powered water pumps have been procured to assist farmers with land preparation, pest control, and irrigation.
The governor said his administration is also focused on improving agricultural productivity by providing high-quality seeds and agrochemicals.
He listed other agriculture-related policies such as addressing herder-farmer conflicts by investing in water infrastructure, rehabilitating grazing reserves, and fostering community dialogue to promote peaceful coexistence.
The state has attracted the Africa Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC), a major facility supported by AFREXIMBANK, which will provide testing, certification, and inspection services for agricultural products.
Sani also mentioned the construction of the Special Agricultural Processing Zone (SAPZ), in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB), will offer improved infrastructure, larger markets, and greater value-added production for farmers.
The state’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Murtala Dabo, highlighted the significant increase in budgetary support for agriculture under Sani’s leadership, with allocations rising from 0.4 percent in 2023 to 9.4 percent in 2025.
Dabo emphasized that agriculture now contributes 43 percent to Kaduna’s GDP, reinforcing the state’s commitment to economic growth, food security, and job creation.
In a goodwill message, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture, praised the Governor’s investment in agriculture and encouraged other states to follow suit.