Agric Minister commissions Dryland farm, incubator centre in BUK

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development(FMARD),Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono has commissioned  the Centre for Dryland Agriculture Farm  (CDA) and  Agri- Business Incubation Centre  in  Bayero University, Kano, Kano State.

 Speaking during the Commissioning Ceremony on Friday, 20th December, 2019, Alhaji Sabo Nanono noted that the Ministry is aware of the noble achievements recorded by the CDA since its inception in 2012. Such remarkable achievements he added would not have been possible without the tremendous support from the university’s management and staff.

Nanono pointed out that the nation was proud that the Centre emerged one of the best 22 African Centres of Excellence  across the West and Central Africa.

Nanono said, “it is worth noting that the competences and the experiences gained by this Centre over the years informed his decision to include its leadership to be among the team of experts that are currently developing the new Agricultural policy and strategic plan for the country”.

The Minister stressed that the FMARD would put in place a mechanism to revitalise the existing agricultural policies in order to meet the needs and aspirations of President Muhammadu Buhari in diversifying Nigeria’s economy, using Agriculture as a driving force.

He stated that the Value chain approach to reposition the sector through implementing policy instruments for enterprise development across successive stages of the commodity Value chains was commendable and assured that the strategy would further enhance the development of the crops, livestock and fishery sub sectors”.

The Minister assured that,  ” it is my hope that the farm and the Agic- Business Incubation Centre that I am commissioning today will further help in realising this dream “

Nanono urged government institutions like BUK and Centres like CDA to support the ministry in building the human capacity in land and water management,  livelihoods and natural resources management at the regional and national levels, adding that it will help in combating the Global Climate Change and its effect on Agricultural productivity.

To this end, the Minister appealed to the Centre to focus on building the capacity of women, youth and small- scale farmers in modern agriculture through generating and communicating appropriate technologies and innovations capable of enhancing Agricultural productivity and income.

He commended the World Bank for their initiative and support to the institution in achieving the novel goals of the Centre and stated that the project was unique especially in its capacity in providing treated water to the health facility and the community.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Muhammad  Yahuza Bello informed that ” BUK is one of the few elite Universities to complete the phase 111 of the World Bank ACE project titled ‘ ACE IMPACT ” . He said when the call was made in 2018 for submission of entries, two of the proposal from BUK were successful, making BUK one of the few elite Universities in Africa with more than one Africa Centre of Excellence”.

He also said that  the successful Centres  are our new Africa Centres of Excellence in Reproductive Health and Policy, which won a grant of US$6 Million and the renewal of the Africa Centre of Excellence in Dryland Agriculture ( CDA) with a grant of US$ 5 Million.

In his welcome address,  Director,  Centre for Dryland Agriculture,  Prof Jirbrin Mohammed said that “under the new ACE IMPACT Project, the CDA plans to establish a Regional innovation, training and Entrepreneurship Accelerator (RITEA), where the Youth will be trained in modern intensive agriculture (both in field and in protected environments) and bioresource Entrepreneurship “.

Prof Jirbrin pointed out that the resources and facilities in the CDA would be harnessed to  support the Federal Government’s efforts towards improving agricultural productivity and diversifying the NIgerian economy.