By Abbas Nazil
Governor Malam Umar Namadi has launched the third phase of the Civil Servants’ Agricultural Support Programme while also unveiling the completion report of the Jigawa COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme (J-CARES 1.0), initiatives aimed at strengthening livelihoods and expanding economic opportunities for residents of Jigawa State.
The two initiatives represent billions of naira in investments designed to support agriculture, economic recovery and community resilience, with thousands of beneficiaries already impacted across the state.
Speaking during the launch of the workers’ agricultural support initiative under the 2026 Dry Season Rice Production Programme, Governor Namadi described the intervention as a strategic effort to encourage civil servants to participate more actively in agriculture while boosting their household incomes.
He explained that the programme provides access to quality agricultural inputs at controlled prices alongside working capital through soft loans with flexible repayment arrangements, allowing beneficiaries to repay either in cash or farm produce over an extended period.
According to the governor, the initiative, first introduced in July 2024, has recorded encouraging results, particularly with strong loan repayment performance from beneficiaries.
Namadi disclosed that during the first phase, 8,432 civil servants benefited from government support valued at over ₦3.03 billion.
He added that 5,750 workers received nearly ₦1.26 billion in assistance under the second phase of the programme.
With the launch of the third phase, about 3,000 additional beneficiaries are expected to receive support worth more than ₦1.6 billion.
The governor said the cumulative investment in the programme has now risen to over ₦5.9 billion, with more than 17,000 civil servants benefiting across the state.
“These figures represent another aspect of our huge investment in agriculture, directly impacting thousands of families, expanding cultivated land and strengthening the agricultural economy of Jigawa State,” Namadi said.
He also highlighted reforms introduced to improve transparency and efficiency in programme implementation, including digital profiling of beneficiaries, GPS-based verification of farm locations and electronic tracking of farm inputs distributed through JASCO stores.
The governor noted that the focus on dry-season rice production is deliberate, stressing that increased domestic rice production is critical to improving Nigeria’s food security and reducing dependence on imports.
At a separate event in Dutse, the governor also presided over the unveiling of the completion report and compendium of the Jigawa COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme (J-CARES 1.0), implemented by the Jigawa State Government with support from the World Bank.
The programme was introduced to cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other shocks by supporting vulnerable households, farmers and small businesses across the state.
Namadi said the initiative focused on three key areas, including social safety nets, food security and livelihoods, and support for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises.
He revealed that the programme reached more than 47,800 beneficiaries in over 1,200 hard-to-reach communities across all 287 political wards in the 27 local government areas of Jigawa State.
The governor added that more than ₦4.6 billion was invested in the intervention, providing agricultural inputs such as rice, maize, millet and sorghum seeds, alongside productive assets including processing machines, water pumps and livestock.
Highlighting the impact of the initiative, Namadi said many beneficiaries recorded significant improvements in their livelihoods after receiving support through the programme.
He emphasised that empowering citizens with the right tools and training enables them to overcome poverty and build sustainable sources of income.
The governor also stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in programme implementation, noting that reforms were introduced in beneficiary selection and digital monitoring to ensure fairness and efficiency.
He expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, the World Bank and implementation teams for their partnership in ensuring the success of the programme.
Namadi described the J-CARES 1.0 completion report as a testament to what can be achieved through strong collaboration, innovation and commitment to improving the lives of citizens.
