Israelis To Assist Borno In Food Production
From NJADVARA MUSA, MAIDUGURI
THE Borno State government, under the National Food Security programme, has signed into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Israeli Centre for International Corporation on the provision of improved varieties of crops and the establishment of agro-allied industries in the state, Governor Ali Modu Sheriff has said.
He spoke at the weekend while addressing graduands at the fifth joint convocation of the Borno College of Agriculture, Maiduguri.
According to him, the implementation of the Federal Government's Food Security programme can only be achieved through the coordination of all agricultural policies and programmes of agricultural and research institutions, at the state and federal levels.
" Successive governments", he noted," had announced various ambitious policies on agricultural development and growth, which yielded the desired results on food security and job creation in the sector.
He said that the 1,200 graduands have a challenge in their respective fields of study in agriculture and livestock production and management, adding that their services will complement the efforts of governments in national food security and job creation in the country.
He lso said that an enabling environment, has been provided to both small and large scale farmers by his government. Which according to him included
the regular provision of basic agricultural inputs of seeds, tractors, pesticides and extending services, which is to be delivered by the graduating students of the college.
Besides, he challenged wealthy individuals to join hands with government in the establishment of a fish processing plant at Baga and Orange Processing Industry in Damboa, 87 kilometres south of Maiduguri.
This was the only way, he said, that the programme could be implemented.
To this end, he called on the Federal Government to reactivate the Chad Basin Irrigation Scheme at New Mante so that the production of wheat and other cash crops could be increased for the agro-allied industries in the country.
While, commending the efforts of the college, Governor Sheriff named the agricultural institution after the late Dr. Mohamed Lawan.
He explained that because of the contributions of Lawan in the fields of agriculture and the environment, he deserved to be honoured, as his name was always synonymous with agriculture in the north.
He added that the proceeds from the two books that were launched to honor him at the convocation will be converted into the establishment of Mohamed Lawan Scholarship Foundation.
In his address, the Provost of the College, Dr. Bukar Ali Usman lamented that since the college was established in 1977, it has been faced with the problems of inadequate students' accommodation, library textbooks and academic staff.
The guest speaker, Ambassador Bunu Sheriff Musa however, noted that the implementation of the National Food Security in Borno largely depended on the refilling of the Lake Chad basin and an end to frequent changes in government policies in agriculture and water resources management.
