By Abbas Nazil
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lauded Yobe State’s significant investment in agriculture, describing it as a commendable step towards achieving food sufficiency and enhancing national food security.
The commendation was delivered through his representative, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabiru Masari, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters, during the official launch of the Yobe Agricultural Empowerment Programme in Damaturu.
Tinubu stated that the agricultural efforts in Yobe align with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and affirmed the commitment of the federal administration to partner with the state to further boost agricultural productivity.
Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe outlined the state’s substantial procurement of agricultural equipment and inputs aimed at supporting farmers across the state.
According to him, the government purchased 40 Massey Ferguson tractors, 1,961 power tillers, 1,250 hand push planters, 553 multi-purpose threshers, and 3,410 solar water pumps to support the mechanization of farming activities.
In addition, the state acquired 830 fertilizer applicators, 4,500 bags of NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer, 195 crop residue crushers, 495 crop residue choppers, and 20,000 assorted improved seeds.
The empowerment programme also includes the distribution of assorted agrochemicals, 4,000 bunches of cassava stems, certified seeds, 50 tricycles, and 30 motorcycles.
Governor Buni directed that all farm equipment and inputs be distributed free of charge to deserving farmers to ease their operational burdens and improve productivity.
He further announced a 50% subsidy on the sale of fertilizer to farmers, reinforcing his administration’s commitment to supporting agricultural development in the state.
The governor emphasized that these interventions are part of broader efforts to revitalize agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy and to address rising food demands.
It would be recalled that the Yobe State Government also launched a similar intervention last year, distributing 100 tractors, solar-powered irrigation machines, hand tillers, harvesters, threshers, improved seedlings, and fertilizer to farmers.
These consistent investments highlight Yobe’s growing focus on agrarian transformation and sustainable food systems.
President Tinubu acknowledged the leadership of Governor Buni in advancing agricultural policies that empower local farmers and increase access to modern farming tools.
He noted that initiatives like these will contribute significantly to food self-sufficiency, job creation, and economic development at both state and national levels.
The federal government reiterated its willingness to continue supporting such state-led agricultural initiatives in line with national goals for food security and rural empowerment.
The event attracted stakeholders in the agriculture sector and community leaders who welcomed the programme as timely and necessary for Yobe’s agrarian communities.
With this large-scale investment and ongoing support, Yobe State is positioning itself as a model of how local governments can effectively stimulate rural development through agriculture.
