Kano Distributes 1,000 Tonnes Seeds To Farmers

The Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) said it distributed 1,000 tonnes of improved seeds to farmers in 2010.

Alhaji Mohammed Kura, the authority’s Managing Director, made this known in Kano in an interview with our correspondent.

He said that during the year under review, 17,000 litres of assorted agro-chemicals were provided to 12,000 small holder farmers’ groups at 40 per cent subsidy.

Kura said that 10,400 tonnes of assorted fertilisers  were also distributed to farmers by the authority, adding that each bag of the fertiliser was sold at a subsidised rate of N2,000.

On irrigation, Kura said the government provided 500 small holder  farmers’ groups with irrigation pumps, tube wells  and other facilities at subsidised rates.

The managing director said in addition, the authority trained them on the maintenance of the irrigation pumps.

With the assistance provided by officials of the authority, Kura said 201 dairy farmers succeeded in increasing the production of dairy milk by 50 per cent.

The farmers, the managing director said, increased milk production from 10 litres  per cow per day to 15 litres per cow per day under KNARDA Small Holder Dairy Scheme.

According to Kura, the objective of the Small Holder Dairy scheme was to ensure that small holder dairy farmers  graduate to Middle   Holder Dairy farmers in four years.