The Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Rabiu Isa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that the state government made adequate provisions in the 2013 proposed fiscal bill to enhance support services to farmers to encourage dry season farming.
Isa said the state government had worked out modalities to encourage the effective use of water resources.
He also said effort had been made to make fertiliser, seeds and other inputs available to dry season farmers.
Isa said that more than 1,000 tube wells and pump machines would be provided for irrigation farmers this year.
“We want to make our youths active during dry season. Our youths are active or farmers are active during rainy season because of the availability of rain water everywhere, but during dry season some of them are not active; that is why the priority is now on irrigation.”
He said the government’s gesture was part of deliberate attempt to use agriculture to provide employment for the youth and enhance wealth creation among rural dwellers.
