The Borno State Government is to support farmers cultivate 65,000 hectres of sesame seeds, rice and maize across the state. The farmers in the three senatorial districts are to be fully engaged with improved seedlings, agricultural machineries and loans to boost their productivity. Governor Babagana Zulum disclosed this Wednesday in Maiduguri, while presenting the 2021 Budget of N208.7 billion to the State House of Assembly. According to him, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), has been earmarked N9.5 billion for its recurrent and capital expenditures in next fiscal year. “It is our intention during the next farming season to cultivate 65,000 hectres of sesame seeds, rice, maize, sorghum, beans and groundnuts,” he said, noting that the state has also comparative advantages of producing the six crops. He said that 100,000 farmers are to be supported to enhance irrigation farming in the Lake Chad Basin of Marte, Dikwa and Ngala, Monguno and Kukawa councils. In a breakdown of hectres of farmlands to be cultivated, he said: “Our farmers will cultivate 30,000 hectres of sesame seeds, while 10,000 hectres each for the production of maize and rice.” He added that the engaged farmers are also to produce 5,000 hectres each for sorghum, beans and groundnuts in the next farming season. On agricultural policy implementation, he said: “We also intend to expand the outreach to the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs). “MARD will mobilize interventions from financial institutions and other development partners to provide the necessary incentives and inputs to farmers.”
