Niger State Acquires 100,000 Hectares of Land For Rice Production

Niger state Government has acquired over 100,000 hectares of land for its rice multiplication programme which is expected to engage over 50,000 rice farmers across the 25 local government areas in the state.
Acting Commissioner of Agriculture, Mohammed Zakari Abubakar , who revealed this to Channels Television in Minna,  explained that the state  government is determined to increase rice production in the state from the present 500,000 metric tonnes to 1,000,000 metric tonnes annually.
Abubakar also stated that the state government will deploy 25 tractors that will be available to the farmers at subsidized rate for renting while improved seedlings will be provided to the farmers to boost their production.
He further mentioned that 60 hectares of the land will be reserved specifically for unemployed youths who will be funded by the state government.
The essence of the programme, according to Mister Abubakar, is to maintain the state’s status as one of the highest producer of rice in the country and also generate employment for the large army of unemployed youths in the state.