Buji Local Government Area of Jigawa State has distributed improved seeds of cowpea, sesame and groundnut to 140 selected farmers as part of efforts to boost agricultural production and strengthen food security in the area.
The intervention is aimed at supporting farmers affected by delayed rainfall and the dry spell experienced during the early and middle parts of the current farming season.
The intervention is expected to enable the beneficiaries to undertake immediate planting and multiply the seeds for future use, thereby improving farmers’ access to quality planting materials in the local government area.
Speaking during the distribution of the inputs, chairman of the local government area, Najeebullah Falalu, said the council was committed to supporting farmers and ensuring that government agricultural interventions translated into tangible benefits for rural communities.
Falalu said the council distributed 140 bags, each weighing 10 kilogrammes of improved cowpea, sesame and groundnut seeds to selected farmers in the local government area.
He said the seeds were provided by the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) under the Renewed Hope Seed Support programme of the Federal Government.
The chairman described the intervention as timely, particularly in view of the challenges posed by irregular rainfall and the dry spell recorded by farmers at the beginning of the farming season.
He said the initiative will not only help farmers sustain production, but also contribute to increase agricultural productivity, improved food security and enhanced livelihoods for farming households in the local government area.
Falalu said the intervention was also in line with the 12-Point agenda of the Jigawa State government under Governor Umar Namadi, particularly its emphasis on agricultural development, food security and economic empowerment.
He expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and the NASC for providing the improved seeds, describing the support as an important contribution to strengthening agricultural activities at the grassroots.
He assured farmers that the council will continue to collaborate with relevant government agencies and development partners to attract more agricultural interventions to Buji and ensure that such support reached genuine farmers.
Falalu urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the improved seeds, stressing that their successful multiplication will help create a sustainable source of quality planting materials for farmers in subsequent farming seasons.
He also called on farmers in the local government area to remain committed to agricultural production, assuring them of the council’s continued support in efforts to increase food production and improve the economic wellbeing of rural communities.
The distribution is expected to provide immediate support to the selected farmers while contributing to the broader objective of increasing the availability of improved crop varieties and boosting agricultural output in Buji Local Government Area.