Kaduna set for year-round farming, distributes agric equipment

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has said that his administration has prioritised agriculture in its development agenda while enabling year-round farming with modern equipment for farmers in the state.

The governor disclosed that his administration allocated 10% of its 2025 budget to the agricultural sector, which is the Malabo benchmark set by African Heads of States and Governments in Equatorial Guinea in June 2014.

Mr Sani made this known at the launch of the dry season agricultural empowerment programme which took place at Murtala Square on Sunday.

‘’Today, we are launching the Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Programme, a game-changing initiative designed to ensure that our farmers can produce food all year round.

‘’Under this programme, we are distributing 100,000 bags of fertilisers—both NPK and Urea—to enhance soil fertility and boost yields,’’ the governor further said.

According to him, Kaduna State has also ‘’procured 500 power tillers to assist smallholder farmers in land preparation, 2,000 knapsack sprayers for effective pest and disease control, and 10,000 water pumps, most of which are solar-powered to support irrigation and ensure uninterrupted farming during the dry season.’’

Governor Sani further said that his administration was also providing high-quality seeds and agrochemicals to improve productivity across the state.

He maintained that the state government was addressing the herder-farmer conflict by investing in water infrastructure, rehabilitating grazing reserves, and strengthening community dialogue mechanisms to foster peaceful coexistence.

He disclosed that ‘’ Kaduna State has attracted the Africa Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC), a major facility supported by AFREXIMBANK that would provide vital testing, certification, and inspection services for agricultural products.

‘’We have commenced the construction of this project which will not only enhance Kaduna State’s agricultural exports but also position our state as a hub for testing, certification and inspection services for agricultural products in West Africa,’’ he added.

Mr Sani further said the state government has ‘’commenced the construction of the Special Agricultural Processing Zone (SAPZ), a partnership between the Kaduna State Government and the African Development Bank (AfDB). ‘’

According to him, the Special Agricultural Processing Zone would be provided with necessary infrastructure, adding that it ‘’will offer a bigger market for farmers and serve as a magnet for increased production and greater value – addition for agricultural produce.’’

Governor Sani thanked President Bola Tinubu for all the support that he has been giving to Kaduna State in the Agricultural sector, arguing that his administration couldn’t have achieved this milestone without the support.

In his welcome address, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, disclosed that under the Governor Uba Sani administration, ‘’we have seen an unprecedented increase in budgetary support for agriculture.

‘’In 2023, the sector received just ₦1.48 billion, a modest 0.4% of the state budget. This rose dramatically in 2024 to ₦23.40 billion when His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani came into office, representing 5.1% of the total budget, a 1,473% increase.

‘’In 2025, the allocation reached ₦74.02 billion, bringing agriculture to 9.4% of the state budget, marking an astonishing 4,871% increase in just two years. This level of commitment underscores the Governor’s determination to make agriculture a pillar of economic growth, ensuring food security, job creation, and improved livelihoods for our people,” Mr Dabo stated.

The commissioner maintained that ‘’agriculture already contributes 43% to Kaduna State’s GDP and employs a substantial proportion of its workforce. “With this level of investment, we are not just supporting farmers—we are building an economy that is self-sustaining, productive, and resilient.’’

In his goodwill message, the Minister of State of Agriculture, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi noted that by increasing his budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector, Governor Sani “is putting his money where his mouth is.’’

The minister called on other states to follow the Kaduna State example so that Nigerian farmers could increase their yields.

He congratulated the governor for the return of peace in Birnin Gwari and other local governments, adding that it is a pleasant news that farmers have returned to their farms.

Mr Abdullahi said that with the farming implements and farm inputs that were distributed, the productivity of Kaduna State farmers would increase, adding that that would translate to more food for the citizens.