Ramadan : Kebbi Govt distributes assorted food items to indigenes.

From : Ayodele Ajoge, Birnin-Kebbi 

The Kebbi State Government has  commences distribution of Ramadan food palliatives and distribution of farm imputes for dry season farming under the Kaura Agricultural Development Agenda (KADA) in Birnin-Kebbi, the State capital. 

In his address, State Governor, Nasir Idris, described the occasion as a significant milestone in the state’s agricultural transformation drive. He said the KADA has remains focused on empowering farmers, improving productivity, and enhancing food security.

According to him, the administration’s sustained investment in free farm imputs, machinery, and extension services demonstrates its unwavering commitment to boosting agricultural output and strengthening both the state and national economies.

Governor Idris disclosed that Kebbi State recorded steady  growth in rice production, with annual output increasing from 3.05 million tons in 2023 to 3.15 million tons in 2024, while projections for 2025 remain strong. 

He reaffirmed that Kebbi continues to rank among Nigeria’s leading rice producing states, adding that other major crops have also witnessed steady increases under his administration.

The Governor also announced the flag-off of the 2026 dry season farming programme, explaining that Kebbi operates two production cycles within a single dry season to maximize output.

He revealed that the state is distributing 2,000 solar-powered pumps, 5,000 power tillers, 5,500 sprayers, 24,000 liters of herbicides, 70,000 liters of liquid organic fertilizer, and 5,000 tons of assorted fertilizers to farmers across the state to further boost productivity, create employment, and increase incomes.

He emphasized that beneficiaries were carefully selected in collaboration with traditional rulers and farmer’s groups, warning that no substitutions would be tolerated. In addition to farm inputs, he announced the distribution of 6,500 tons of assorted grains—rice, maize, and millet—as Ramadan palliatives to cushion the impact of economic hardship on the poor and vulnerable during the holy month.

Governor Idris directed the distribution committee to ensure fairness and transparency, stressing that the era of cornering public items was over. He categorically stated that no political office holder, including local government chairmen, commissioners, or lawmakers, should divert any of the items meant for the people at the grassroots.

He further warned that security agencies had been directed to arrest anyone found selling the distributed inputs, reaffirming that the administration is people-oriented and committed to reducing the suffering of Kebbi citizens.

The event was attended by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon Yusuf Tanko Sununu; former Governor of Kebbi State, Ambassador Saidu Usman Nasamu Dakingari; members of the State House of Assembly, Commissioners, Special Advisers, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders in the Agricultural sector.