Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has stated that Governor Uba Sani has changed the agricultural-industrial environment of Kaduna State within two and a half years.
Speaking when he headed a delegation composed of Commissioners of Agriculture from the 36 states of the country on a formal visit to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Wednesday, he noted that the Governor has become a key example in the agriculture and agricultural-industrial sector in Nigeria.
The Minister recalled that Kaduna was previously a textile center, which was an agro-based industry because its raw material came from cotton, but ‘’today we are observing a very different enhancement of value to some of our main crops.’’
According to him, the actions Governor Uba Sani is taking for agriculture in Kaduna State are consistent with what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ‘’has been speaking about regarding food security and food independence.’’
Senator Kyari noted that aside from only producing raw materials, the Governor is also adding value to agriculture, asserting that Kaduna State was the first subnational area where the Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) was inaugurated in April.
The Minister said that he and his delegation toured Kaduna State as part of the 47th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture since they arrived on Monday and were impressed by the Governor’s huge achievements in Agriculture.
He said that they had visited OLAM Poultry Farm and Feed mill, TMDK, a company involved in agro-allied production, Tomato Jos, and the Agricultural Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC).
According to the Minister, these companies linked to agriculture are situated outside Kaduna town, which will create employment in rural areas and control the movement of people from rural to urban areas.
Senator Kyari praised Kaduna State and other subnational areas for aligning with President Tinubu’s clear demand for food security, which is defined ‘’as the availability, accessibility and affordability of diverse and nutritious food.’’
The Minister also commended Governor Uba Sani for his inclusive method of governing, which has drawn prominent figures from the opposition to the ruling APC in Kaduna State.
He said: ‘’We were quite impressed with what we observed and we had no doubt whatsoever, that our brother Distinguished Senator Uba Sani will perform exceptionally well.’’
He recalled that when the party primary elections were held to nominate the APC candidate for governor, he was the Deputy National Chairman (North) and ‘’I had no doubt whatsoever that you will come and become a point of reference in Nigeria’s politics.’’
In his remarks, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Minister of State for Agriculture, commended the Governor for surpassing the Malabo declaration, by exceeding the 10\% budget allocation for Agriculture.
According to him, Governor Uba Sani may even increase the 12\% that he has budgeted for Agriculture, to 20\% by the end of his two terms in office.
Responding, Governor Sani expressed gratitude to the two Ministers for selecting Kaduna as the venue for the National Council of Agriculture and Food Security, describing it as a great honor.
He revealed that the two officials were his colleagues in the senate and they supported him when he chose to run for the governorship of Kaduna state.
The Governor maintained that Kaduna State is the only subnational entity in the entire north that has AQAC, which will assist in certifying products from farmers for export.
Governor Uba Sani also stated that Kaduna State is the only state to have inaugurated the SAPZ in northern Nigeria and the first to launch it in the country, followed by Cross Rivers and Oyo States.
He disclosed: ‘’We are investing heavily in agriculture because it contributes about 43\% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 60\% of our workers. When we took office, the agriculture budget was just 0.5\%. But today, I am pleased to announce that our budget for agriculture is 12.5\%,’’ he revealed.
According to him, Kaduna State is the only state in the country that has distributed 900 trucks of free fertilizer to smallholder farmers in the last two years.
He added: ‘’We created a team that included our traditional leaders, our religious leaders, our community leaders, as well as our farmers, the association of farmers in the state.”
‘’We did not allow political considerations to guide us. We carried this out without looking at which party you belong to. What area you originate from. We distributed bags of fertilizers to deserving small holder farmers free of charge and throughout the state,’’ he added.
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