Khadijat Saidu, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State government has indicated readiness to enter into a rewarding mutual partnership with Egypt on agricultural development and livestock production.
Governor Atiku Bagudu made this known while receiving Egyptian experts who visited him at Government House, Birnin Kebbi.
Bagudu told his guests that the administration believed in partnership and cooperation as essential ingredients for development, saying that Kebbi state has been endowed with high agricultural potential and rated as the second most livestock-producing state in Nigeria.
In addition, the state has become the gateway to West Africa in animal husbandry due to its strategic location of sharing boundaries with both the Republic of Niger and the Benin Republic.
Already, he said, Kebbi State has signed a tripartite agreement with Kwanni in the Niger Republic and Maleville in the Republic of Benin on the development of animal husbandry.
The governor described the people of Kebbi state as hardworking and ready to imbibe modern methods of agricultural and livestock production.
He therefore commended the National President of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, Alhaji Aminu Goroyo for facilitating the visit of the Egyptian experts to the state and preparing ground for joint mutual cooperation in the agricultural sector.
The governor made it clear that the President-elect of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to build upon the achievement on agricultural revival for food security initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari at the national level while the governor-elect for Kebbi state, Dr. Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu has affirmed similar commitment to strengthen the agricultural revolution started by incumbent administration at the state level.
The National President of RIFAN, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, has earlier informed the governor that the Egyptian experts led by General Walid Yahia Soliman Morsy were in Kebbi state for partnership on agricultural development.
Goronyo indicated that the experts would develop about nine hundred kilometers of Fadama land in the state through the process of training farmers, and the application of modern farming methods, technology, and expertise.
The RIFAN leader commended, Governor Atiku Bagudu in his capacity as Vice Chairman, National Food Security Council for developing the agricultural sector by making it possible for small-scale and other farmers to access finance and farming input that led to an increase in yields and economic prosperity.
However, the Egyptian professionals were highly impressed with the giant strides recorded in the sector during the tenure of Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu which encouraged them to seek partnership with the government for consolidation and continuity.
He announced that the team would also visit Lagos, Ogun, and Calabar in Cross River state for a similar venture.
In an interview with newsmen shortly after meeting with the governor, the Egyptian team leader,
General Walid Yahia Soliman Morsy, told journalists that they were in the State for a joint partnership with Kebbi State Government to explore areas of interest in Agriculture and Livestock production.
