Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday unveiled a 90-horsepower capacity solar irrigation pump station in Damasak located in the northern part of the state.
The pumping station, with a combined 90 HP capacity, has a 115 Kilowatt solar farm powering three units of 30HP pumps, discharging 225 litres per second with 105 discharge points covering 125 hectares of rice fields.
Zulum explained that his administration was shifting its focus from continuous food distribution to empowering farming activities in the state.
“Shorter-term solution to our problems is no longer sustainable, continuous provision of food to the people and keeping of IDPs in the camp is not sustainable either.
Therefore, we want to shift our focus from shorter-term humanitarian support to medium and longer-term sustainable solutions, which is agriculture.,” Zulum said.
.. Launches sale of N500 per litre subsidised petrol to farmers
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has launched petrol sale to farmers at a subsidised rate of N500 per litre to help boost dry season farming in the state.
The governor noted that 1 million litres of petrol product would be provided for farmers under the scheme, which would be available in all the local government areas of the state.
“ I want to announce that for this year’s irrigation activities, the government of Borneo State is to procure 1 million litres of petrol and distribute it in the entire state at a subsidised rate to farmers,” Zulum said.
He also stated,,.“In addition to this, we have procured 20,000 bags of fertiliser, 1,000 solar-powered water pumps and another 5,000 water pump machines to be distributed to farmers across the three senatorial districts of Borno.”
.. Distributes fertiliser, others to 4,500 farmers
While in Damasak, Governor Zulum also distributed fertilisers, solar and petrol-powered water pumping machines with accessories and agrochemicals for farmers in two local government areas.
The governor supervised the distribution of 4,500 bags of fertilizers, 1,000 conventional water pumps and their accessories, 9,000 litres of agrochemicals and 50 surface solar water pumps for 4,500 farmers from Mobar and Abadam Local Government Areas.
“This morning, we are flagging off the distribution of dry-season farm inputs to farmers in northern Borno. 4,500 farmers have benefited from fertilisers, agrochemicals and water-pumping machines,” Zulum said.
He also inspected the expanded Nglayi scheme, Zanna Umarti, Dushi, Damasak Central and all other accessible farms in Damasak. The Ngalayi scheme, which was started with 500 hectares of land in 2022, has now been expanded to over 1500 hectares.
In his remarks, Borno State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Bawu Musami, highlighted Governor Zulum’s achievements in agriculture.
He listed the establishment of modern, innovative and climate-smart irrigation schemes at Bokkoiri of Konduga, Kulunnam of Magumeri, Jaffi in Kwaya Kusar, Mafa scheme in Mafa, Bulabulin, Shuwari and Gajibo of Dikwa, Logomane of Ngala LGAs respectively.
He added that Governor Zulum had directed the replication of these schemes in all three senatorial zones of Borno.
