Like the country at large, Niger State is quite a paradox. Its soil is rich enough to grow a wide range of food and cash crops, including melon, cotton, beans, millet, sorghum, soya beans, yam and sugarcane. Yet, its farmers produce very little of these crops and essentially struggle to get by. This is because they get little support. For instance, they cannot buy or rent tractors or bulldozers needed for mechanised farming. This has left the agriculture sector poorly developed and unfruitful.
Help has come. A member of the House of Representatives, representing Kontagora-Wushishi-Marga-Mashegu constituency, Niger State, Hon. Abdullahi Garba has provided farmers in four local government areas with mini-tractors to aid their farming.
The mini-tractor is a 13 horse-power machine which can be used for harvesting, make ridges and perform other farming activities.
According to the lawmaker, empowering farmers in the state with mechanised tools will boost agricultural production and also facilitate exports, which would in turn encourage more participation in agriculture.
Garba, who is the House Committee Chairman on Population, noted that no amount was too small for empowerment adding that such would be repeated annually.
“About 365 days ago I did exactly what you are witnessing today. It is all about motive and determination. I need to empower them year-in year-out. So it is what I enjoyed doing.
“Imagine what these people are facing and what these support will do to alleviate their challenges. If they can make N4000 per day through these empowerment tools, you know what that will be in a year,” he added.
Speaking with some of the beneficiaries, they commended the gesture, describing it as one which would help improve farming activities especially in the LGAs and further encourage more youths in farming.
Umar Aliyu, 45 and father of 11 children disclosed how he manually cultivates about 12 Acres of land through the use of cattles for making ridges, this among other factors, he said has continued to hamper on harvests.
He affirmed that with the new empowerment, his production would be increased by 50 percent.
“Now I have increased capacity to do more cultivation but on behalf of other farmers, I want the government to help construct better road for accessibility and easy transportation of our produce,” he added.
Another farmer, Umar Isah, 28, from Wushishi, LGA said the mini-tractor will increase his farm cultivation to seven acres as against three acres production that produces only 50 bags of maize.
“I am extremely happy for this. What can I say than to thank God for using this man. He has helped with mini-tractors, it is now the turn of government to provide fertiliser, pesticides, insecticides and above all, seeds,” he said.
The farmers, however, called for road rehabilitation across the local governments by the appropriate authority to ensure easy transportation of Agriculture produce to cities where they are needed.
Other empowerment tools distributed by the lawmaker included 90 sets of complete grinding machines for women, 45 motorcycles, 32 Tricycles for commercial purpose, 32 Hair, 45 Deep freezers among others.
There were other beneficiaries, one of whom Hajia Kunu Musa, a 50-year old widow. She got a grinding machine from the lawmaker. Hajia Musa said she could not believe her luck, noting that the grinding machine would help ease the burden of having to cater for a family of nine.
“I am 50 years old with eight children. My husband died about 15 years ago, so it’s been difficult but I run a local restaurant which I used to take care of their welfare. I believe that is my fate.
“With this grinding machine given to me free, I will be able to make more money for the family by grinding corn, potato, tomatoes and now that is Fasting period, people do lots of grinding, no doubt it will help my family.”
The job tools were eventually distributed to other beneficiaries including young women, artisans, youths, farmers among others drawn from 45 wards in the four local governments the House of Representative member represents.
