North-West states collaborate on agricultural development


 Governors of North-West states on Sunday said they would collaborate closely with stakeholders, including organisations involved in regional integration to boost agriculture in the area.
Rising from a meeting which focused on development of agriculture in the region, in Kaduna, the governors said that they were working on measures that would ensure food security  for the people of the area.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State said that closer collaboration among all stakeholders and regional integration was key ingredient for the expansion and sustenance of agricultural activities in the area.

According to him, working together will ensure access to finance and improvement of infrastructure that will support the sector.
Tambuwal said that North-West had comparative advantages in key areas and would seek to exploit them for the development of the region and its people.
"In Sokoto, we have advantage with cash crops like wheat, rice, tomato and onions. Others have such advantages with crops like ginger, cotton, maize and other cereal crops.
"So, when we tap all these resources together, pool investments and promote avenues of access to finance, the sector will be transformed and its real value will come to the fore," he said.
The meeting was attended by governors of Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and deputy governor of Zamfara.
Also in attendance were commissioners of agriculture, permanent secretaries and directors of agricultural services from states in the region.

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