Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, Wednesday, inaugurated and distributed working materials to 300 youths trained to provide mobile veterinary clinic services.
This initiative aims to control and prevent the spread of animal diseases across the state’s 287 political wards.
During the ceremony at the NYSC orientation camp in Fanisau, Dutse, Governor Namadi donated a motorcycle to each of the 300 beneficiaries.
Each motorcycle is equipped with a medical toolbox, vaccination kits, a drug box, and other accessories for routine and emergency veterinary services.
Governor Namadi stated that the beneficiaries are now licensed veterinary service providers, trained to respond effectively to animal disease incidents, even in remote and hard-to-reach areas, to control and contain preventable animal diseases.
At the same event, the governor also distributed agricultural inputs to 1,200 farmers. These inputs included fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and certified seeds for wheat, rice, and maize.
Specifically, the distribution included 2,400 bags of NPK fertilizer, 1,200 bags of urea, 1,200 liters each of selective and non-selective herbicides and pesticides, 140 bags of certified wheat seeds (50 kg each), 80 bags of certified rice seeds (50 kg each), and eight 20 kg bags of certified maize seeds.
Additionally, the governor distributed and installed agricultural processing equipment, including 50 multi-purpose threshers, 50 rice milling machines, each with a generator, and 50 de-stoner machines, also each with a generator.
Governor Namadi explained that these interventions benefited 1,200 farmers under the state’s partnership with the World Bank-supported Project for Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes.
Other interventions were part of the state’s employment program, led by the newly established Economic Empowerment and Youths Employment Agency.
This scheme is under the ‘J-Agro’ Employment Initiative and Agricultural Enterprise Empowerment Programme, reflecting the administration’s commitment to enhancing Jigawa State’s agricultural sector and economic growth.
Speaking on the initiative, Governor Namadi said: “Today we are launching the distribution of agricultural inputs and processing equipment, as well as inaugurating community-based animal health workers to provide mobile veterinary services across the state.
These efforts align with our overarching goal of achieving sustained agricultural transformation in Jigawa State.
“This is part of our J-Agro Agricultural Extension Agents Programme, which enlisted 1,440 youths to provide quality agricultural extension services to our farmers. These interventions in the agricultural sector have significant multiplier effects on achieving our development objectives.
“These initiatives contribute to sustainable livelihoods for our people, support agricultural transformation, improve productivity, ensure food security, diversify the economy, and promote inclusive growth and poverty reduction,” he added.
