Over 6,000 rice farmers trained in Kano, Jigawa – Africa Rice

The Africa Rice, in conjunction with Agricultural Transformation Support Programme Phase I (ATASP-1), has trained a total of 6,436 rice farmers on good agricultural practices in the Kano and Jigawa staple crops processing zone.

The Zonal Research Associate of Africa Rice, Mr Bisi Ilebani, made this known during a field trip to commemorate Farmer’s Field Day at Zangon Buhari village of Bunkure Local Government Area, Kano State.

“Out of the number of trained farmers, 1,097 were provided with improved seeds to cultivate 201.46 hectares and 260 were provided with improved seeds and other inputs at 50 per cent subsidised rate to cultivate 144.1 hectares,” he said.

He added that 600 youths were trained on rice seed production technology in the zone and they have cultivated about 30 hectares of rice seeds production plots.

“The second category was also provided with breeder seeds and other inputs at 50 per cent discount and were subsequently linked up with seed companies and farmers around the communities to offtake their produce,” he stated.

One of the beneficiaries of the seed production technology training, Sa’adu Tasiu, said before the training, he used to cultivate a maximum of 35 bags of rice per acre, but with the training and improved seeds, he harvested 65 bags per acre last year and projected about 75 bags this year.

He called on the ATASP and Africa Rice to expand the programme so that more farmers could benefit.