From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Jigawa State government said, it supported over 250,000 farmers through inputs, mechanization, irrigation, extension services, and targeted support for youth and women in agribusiness in three years.
This was announced by the State governor Malam Umar Namadi while delivering his speech at the official flag-off of the 2026 Wet Season Farming Programme held over the weekend at Dutse Stadium.
He explained that, over the last three years, the present administration supported farmers through wet-season and dry-season production, input support, irrigation, mechanisation, extension delivery, and agricultural financing.
The governor who said, government is mindful of the challenges faced by farmers, especially timely access to quality inputs, rising energy costs, and other production expenses, added that, It is against this background that we flag off the 2026 Wet Season Agricultural Support Programme, a practical intervention to help farmers enter the season with the inputs, equipment, and services they need for productive cultivation.
According to him, the moves is building on previous efforts to ensure that support reaches genuine farmers in good time and is used for its intended purpose. Our goal is simple: to make every public investment in agriculture count.
“Under the programme, fertilizer support will reach 90,000 farmers across the state, with 50,000 farmers fully supported by the Jigawa State Government and an additional 40,000 farmers supported through our partnership with the Bank of Agriculture and StarAgri. The programme will also provide 6,000 high-capacity solar water pumps to reduce energy costs and support irrigation, as well as 1,185 motorcycles to strengthen the delivery of extension services and bring practical guidance closer to farming communities.
“Our agricultural transformation efforts are already producing practical results. So far, we have supported over 250,000 farmers through inputs, mechanization, irrigation, extension services, and targeted support for youthand women in agribusiness”, he said.
Governor Namadi also identified some Key achievements include the deployment of 1,700 extension agents, 450 tractors, 70 combine harvesters and other implements, 20 modern greenhouses, 4 climate-smart agriculture centres, the rehabilitation of Kuda and Dembo dams, and the development of 200 5-in-1 rice commercial processing clusters across the three senatorial districts. These interventions are reducing drudgery, improving productivity, expanding irrigation, supporting value addition, and making agriculture more attractive to young people and women.
“Our pursuit of agricultural transformation cannot be achieved by the government alone. I therefore sincerely appreciate the Bank of Agriculture, StarAgri, the Federal Government of Nigeria, our development partners, financial institutions, farmer cooperatives, and all stakeholders whose support is helping us expand access to inputs, finance, technology, and markets for our farmers.
“As our people wisely say, Noma Tushen Arziki — farming is the foundation of prosperity. This belief continues to guide our vision to make Jigawa State a leading food basket, a centre for mechanisation and irrigation, and a hub for seed production, agro-processing, climate-smart agriculture, and agribusiness investment. We want Made in Jigawa to stand for quality, productivity, and value in agricultural markets. I call on our farmers to use these inputs and facilities responsibly, work closely with extension agents, and repay credit or input facilities promptly so that this support can be sustained and extended to more farmers”, he said.
