Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to grassroots agricultural transformation as he flagged off the distribution of irrigation equipment and farm inputs to farmers across the state.
The event, which took place at the Government House, Katsina, on Monday, was organised under the auspices of the Katsina State Community Development Programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Irrigation Authority.
Speaking during the event, Radda described it as part of his administration’s ongoing vision to empower rural communities and strengthen agriculture as the foundation of Katsina’s economy.
“Today’s event is not merely a distribution exercise. It is a reflection of our collective commitment to improving the lives of our people, especially our hardworking farmers whose efforts put food on our tables every day,” he said.
Radda explained that the items being distributed, including 4,000 irrigation water pumps, 4,000 knapsack sprayers, herbicides, and liquid fertilisers, are part of his government’s deliberate efforts to make farming more productive and profitable while ensuring food security across the state.
He further noted that the CDP was established to bring governance closer to the grassroots, empowering communities to identify their needs and drive their own development.
“When I assumed office, I made a promise that the government would no longer sit in comfort while our people struggled in silence. That promise gave birth to the CDP, a structure that allows the government to listen directly to the people and respond to their real needs,” Radda said.
The governor directed the CDP to oversee logistics, monitoring, and accountability to ensure transparency and fairness in the distribution process.
He also instructed KTARDA to deploy agricultural extension officers to guide farmers on the proper usage of the tools.
“These tools belong to our farmers, but more importantly, they belong to the future of Katsina State. Use them wisely to improve your productivity and lift your families out of hardship,” he advised.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Community Development Programme, Kamal, highlighted the far-reaching impact of the CDP since its inception, noting that, “from November last year to date, there is hardly any community in Katsina that has not felt the impact of the CDP”.
He stated, “Through numerous initiatives, we have distributed fertilisers at polling units, provided ₦50,000 financial support to widows and vulnerable women through the KT-Cares initiative, and supported smallholder farmers to boost their productivity.”
The commissioner for Agriculture, Aliyu Lawal, said the initiative will enhance irrigation farming, promote sustainable food production, and strengthen our state’s agricultural base.
In October, the Ogun State Government empowered 4,316 smallholder farmers with home gardening toolkits.
The initiative was said to improve planting materials under its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme to strengthen food security and enhance rural livelihoods.
