In a bid to improve the agricultural sector in Kano State, Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said his administration had employed 800 more extension workers to add the existing ones on order to help educate and enlighten farmers on new techniques of modern farming in the state.
The Governor made this known while receiving delegations from Sasakawa Africa Association under the leadership of Mr. Osako Katsuhiro, Senior Executive Director of the Association, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
The governor revealed that “Kano is blessed with abundant fertile land with reasonable number of people that practice farming especially in the rural areas. So, our target is that farmers become conversant with new techniques of modern farming.”
Ganduje, who was represented by his Deputy Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, said in pursuing this noble objective, Kano State Government would continue to partner with the Sasakawa Africa Association particularly in the area of modern agriculture with a view to improving agricultural activities in the state.
He maintained that through the partnership with Sasakawa, Kano Extension workers had undergone series of training and retraining which gave them the required technical know-how about the modern-day farming activities.
“It is in view of this, I want to implore the management of Sasakawa to continue to partner with the Kano State Government on more other areas of Agriculture especially livestock agriculture so as to boost the scope of our production,” the governor appealed.
While assuring his administration continued support towards upgrading agricultural activities through the use of qualified Extension workers, the Governor added,” We will remain committed in our zeal to provide agricultural inputs and other tools that are required for improved agricultural production”.
In her remarks, the Executive Director of the association Ms. Fumiko Iseki said that they were in Kano to see what is available and happening in the field of agricultural extension.
“Kano is the largest grain market not only in the country but for the whole West Africa, considering its status in the field of agriculture, this is the reason why Sasakawa gives the state a top priority,” she said.
Fumiko appreciated the state government for allowing them to reach with the farmers, promising to continue to put more efforts in the field of agriculture to achieve better results.
Earlier in his remarks, the Country Director Prof. Sani Miko said Sasakawa Africa Association is a Japan based association which educates farmers in the area of modern farming for the improvements of livelihood of small farmers.
He added that Sasakawa has been in Kano State since 1992 and it works tirelessly with Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) in the area of agricultural extension.
