Concerned by the need to improve food production in Gombe, the State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya has revealed the plan to formulate and implement agricultural development policies in the state.

The Governor who made the pledge during a news conference to mark his 100 days in office said these policies would be aimed at revamping farming practices and agricultural productivity, improving small stakeholder incomes and reducing environmental impacts.

According to him, “If we are not to lose ground in the face of rising population and environmental degradation, agriculture must be revamped and agricultural value chains must be the economic bedrock of rural development.”

The Governor also hinted that the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) activities would be reviewed for better positioning and effective utilisation.

In his words, “Agricultural Development Programme was established in Gombe State in 1974 before the creation of Bauchi state and funded by World Bank with 23 million dollars”.

While lamenting the inadequacy of Agricultural Extension Officers in the state, Yahaya said the State would employ more officers and moribund farm centers in all the 114 wards across the state would be revived.

“It is only the Director Agric Extension and 10 persons were in government payroll. Most of the extension workers have retired from the service and there was no recruitment by the previous administration to replace them,

“The existence of the ADP had made Gombe an agrarian state hence the need to establish farm centers in all the 114 wards across the state which were in existence before they became dilapidated in the late 80s,” he said.

Source: AgroNigeria