NADF, Katsina govt partner on food system transformation, job creation
By Felicia Imohimi
The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and Katsina State Government have pledged to transform the country’s food system and create jobs for the populace.
The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the Gov. Dikko Radda, to the Executive Secretary, NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, in Abuja.
Radda identified agriculture as the mainstay of the nation’s economy, which provides over 60 per cent of employment for the country’s populace.
He said that the country has no option but to invest in agriculture to position it better to be an export-dependent country, and not import-dependent, as well as be self-sufficient in food production.
“We have no reason to be hungry; we have no reason to be poor. If we can harvest all the potential we have, we will have a great nation, with great people, who will be able to move the nation forward,” he said.
The governor said his visit was to formally congratulate the NADF Executive Secretary on the appointment, as well as see how the state could leverage the fund to transform the food system for the benefit of its populace.
“I pray for this agency to be one of the leading agencies in the country, and also to seek partnership and collaboration with the sub-nationals, especially Katsina State, in transforming agriculture,” he said.
The governor said about 90 per cent of the state population was into agriculture and agricultural value chains, small and medium-scale enterprises from production to processing.
He, however, said that the best investment for any state, especially those in the northern part of the country, was investment in agriculture.
According to him, when one invests in agriculture, the person has invested in the vast majority of the people.
“When you construct a road, it will help in the transportation of agricultural produce, too.
“So, there is nothing we will do to support our people other than to support them in agricultural enterprises.
“But when you invest in agriculture, you are investing in about 90 per cent of your people who are living in abject poverty in the rural areas with no means of livelihood,” he said.
Radda said his administration in 2024 bought over 400,000 bags of fertiliser, which were distributed to every polling unit in the state, considering the impact of agriculture on the livelihood of the large population of the state.
He further said the state distributed solar-powered pumps to rural farmers to reduce the cost of production.
In his remarks, Ibrahim said part of the agency’s mandate was to work with sub-national governments in promoting agricultural development and food security.
According to him, the visit enabled the governor to essentially discuss what the state government was doing and to see how they could leverage its resources.
NADF has a mandate to promote sustainable development and food security by bridging the funding gap, facilitating farmers’ access to finance, and strengthening the agricultural ecosystem.
Edited by Nick Nicholas/Yakubu Uba
