Niger Foods Limited, a state-owned company, has signed a lease-of-land agreement for 10, 000 hectares with 12 communities under the Bida Emirate as part of efforts towards boosting food production and security in the state.
The communities are expected to lease their lands for 50 years for the setting up of commercial farms and farm estates for mechanised production of rice, sesame, soya, and maize in the first instance, with an expected yield of 250,000 tonnes per year.
Speaking after signing the agreement with village heads of the communities at the palace of the Etsu Nupe in Bida, the executive chairman of Niger Foods Limited, Sammy Adigun, who signed on behalf of the enterprise, said that under the arrangement, about 500,000 jobs would be created, leading to economic prosperity for the people of Bida Local Government Area.
He said: “The solution to food security is production and storage, which Niger Foods Limited is determined to achieve in line with President Tinubu and Farmer Umaru Bago’s policies on agriculture.
“We assure that the government will ensure an enabling environment, especially security for the investors. Smallholder farmers and even would-be farmers will also be greatly supported with necessary agricultural materials that will boost their yields.”
Adigun also called on the Etsu Nupe for continuous sensitisation of his subjects on what they stand to benefit from the policy as well as the need to sustain their support.
Adigun then urged the youths of the participating communities to take advantage of the opportunity to improve their standard of living.
The Etsu Nupe and chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alh. Yahaya Abubakar said in his remarks, through the Kusodu Nupe, Alh. Muhammad Manko Abubakar, that a series of meetings had already been held with district heads, village heads, and community leaders on the need for the people to support the agricultural policy of the current administration at both state and federal levels.