CHAPTER  SEVEN

AGRICULTURE

            The administration of Alh. Ibrahim Idris places very high premium on Agriculture because a vast majority of the people, particularly  those in the rural areas engage in subsistence farming.  The Governor saw the need to improve the skills of the farmers; expanded their scope and provide them with necessary facilities for maximum out put.

            Fertilizer, which is a basic need of the farmers, was not available when Alhaji Ibrahim Idris took over the reign of this administration. Indeed, several tones of fertilizer amounting to about N147million collected from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture were not paid for by the immediate past administration.   The first thing the Governor did in this sector was to pay a visit to the Hon. Minister of Agriculture to solicit his  understanding and support as it relates to the debt owed the Federal Government by the State on account of fertilizer.  The visit was productive as an agreement was reached to pay off the N147million in three installments, and  an open ended assurance of supply of fertilizer to the State was given.

            The Government of Kogi State has so far procured over 800 trucks of assorted brands of fertilizer which was sold to farmers at a subsidized rate of N1,300.00 per bag.

            The Government has so far procured 227 tractors of a capacity of 60 H.P which were distributed to farmers.  The State Ministry of Agriculture also raised Cocoa, Palm oil,  Mango and Cashew seedlings for distribution to farmers.  Similarly, Government purchased 92 Forestry Pass Hammers worth N3.9million to check illegal felling of economic trees and has also established 28 hectares of teak plantation at Olle, Acharaatne and Osara Forest Reserves.  Additional 10 hectares of teak plantation was established at Olle through Kogi State Forestry Trust Fund.

            In the fishing sub-sector, the sum of N12.124million has so far been released to fishermen as loans to enhance their activities under the ECOWAS fund accelerated fish production project with 67% recovery success rate.

            In a bid to encourage farmers in the State, the State Government sourced for beniseed and guinea corn seedlings for onward   distribution to farmers.  This exercise has paid off  as the farmers have been able to produce beniseed and guinea corn for sale to Government.  Government has bought 500million of 100Kg bags of beniseed and 300million of 100Kg bags from the farmers.

            The Government has also discovered the suitability of the soil in the Central and Eastern Senatorial Districts for mass production of beniseed and guinea corn.

            In order to facilitate the exploration of the cleaned beniseed, government has ordered for 3No Beniseed cleaning machines at a cost of $86,580.00

            In the Livestock sub-sector, government made concerted effort in controlling the spread of the Avian influenza (Bird flu) to Kogi State from some neigbourging States of the Federation.  To this end a sum of N1.9million was released to curtail the epidemic.  The sensitive campaign and the public education against the disease were successfully carried out.