By; SULAIMAN AHMED MISAU, Katsina Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with four
By; SULAIMAN AHMED MISAU, Katsina
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with four key development partners for establishment of an all year round fifty hectares demonstration farm at Sabke irrigation site in Mai’adua Local Government Area of the state.
The four stakeholders are :- National Agriculture development fund, Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRDA) and a Moroccan based Agricultural development experts the OCP Africa.
The delegation of the development partners was led to General Muhammadu Buhari (Government) House, Katsina by the Chairman house of representative committee on water resources Alhaji Sada Soli Jibia.
In his address after signing the MoU, Governor Dikko Radda appreciated the Federal Government for bringing the pilot programme to Katsina State.
This the governor said, has demonstrated the passion that ,the President has for people of the state.
Governor Radda observed that the project was conceived with the aimed of developing the infrastructure and putting the facilities at the site into use through the Renewed hope infrastructure fund.
While acknowledging that, the Sabke Dam was the only site chosen for the project under the initiative,the Governor assured that the state government would fulfill all its obligations as contained in the MOU.
Governor Dikko Radda expressed the hoped that, the partners would also do what was expected of them so that by next year the state could achieve result and scale up after rainy season.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda reaffirmed readiness to ensure full Agricultural activities all year round at the site.
This he explained would keep farmers busy and optimize the use of the resources spent to establish the Dam left in used for long period of time.
On his part, the Chairman house of representative Committee on water resources Alhaji Sada soli representing Jibia /Kaita Federal Constituency promised that, they would not allow the Pilot program to fail going by the capacity of the partners involved..
Honourable Sada Soli said “Cooperation is what is required for the project to succeed and if the program succeed katsina has other sites including jibia, Zobe,and Dallaje Dams and other sites where irrigation activities can take place.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director Irrigation Services of the SRRBDA, Alhaji Muntaka Badaru Jikamshi said Sabke Dam was one of the important assets of the authority taken over from the Federal Government in 2018.
He admitted that, the facilities of The Dam had not been utilized properly adding that with the renewed hope Agenda of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu in partnership with National Agriculture development fund and other stakeholders the Authority donated Fifty Hectares of land for the development of the project and for food security.
The executive secretary of the National Agriculture Development Fund, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim said they had been in katsina on the 18th of March where the Governor conducted them round Sabke Dam site for feasibility studies which he said was part of the renewed hope Infrastructure funds over site.
This he said was with a view to look at the generally the SRRBDA project and how they can be optimized towards Agriculture.
Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim expressed appreciation to the state governor for providing extension and mechanization services toward the project.
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