Bauchi State Assembly to Employ Trained Agric Extension Workers

Following the motion moved by the Member representing Hardawa Constituency, Bauchi state. Hon. Babayo Muhammad, appealing to the Executive Arm on the need to absorb all the agricultural extension workers,earlier trained in Abuja at the inception of the administration to support poverty reduction in Bauchi State, members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly have unanimously adopted the motion.

The motion was said to have been adopted in a bid to support poverty reduction.

While leading debate on the motion, Babayo Muhammad said that the Nigerian agricultural sector has encountered several challenges, particularly decreased funding, policy changes, reduced manpower and a lack of interest among young people in agricultural entrepreneurship.

He identified that changes in average temperatures, rainfall, climate extremes, growing infestation of pests and related diseases precipitated by climate change, limited adoption of research findings and technologies, high cost of farm inputs among others posed a great challenge to the integrity of the country’s agricultural system.

According to him, in the efforts to address these challenges, the Federal Government of Nigeria revitalized agricultural extension services to support small-scale agriculture, eradicate poverty and achieve national and household food security in which the Federal Government trained thousands of agriculture extension workers.

Speaking further, he noted that, the trainees were drawn from all the local government areas in the country to assist in building farmers’ agricultural knowledge and skills on modern agriculture and mechanized farming by changing farmers’ attitudes as well as promote community development through human and social development, facilitate access to markets and work with farmers’ towards sustainable natural resources.

He emphasized that the training is important to Bauchi State because it represents a good opportunity for the trained extension workers to grow their knowledge base and improve the State’s agricultural sector.

In his words: “No doubt, the Bauchi State Government has demonstrated some zeal to support agricultural development through gradual upward reviews of its agriculture budget annually.”

“Nonetheless, the state is yet to maximise its agricultural production potential towards economic growth and improved livelihoods, for several reasons, including policy and practice limitations in implementing unified agricultural extension services for increased productivity and better living standards of small-scale farmers.”

“With limited extension workers for small-scale farmers, Bauchi State farmers received limited guidance and training in technology adoption and application of inputs, resulting in low productivity, reduced export opportunities, and threats to livelihoods. There is currently a ratio of one extension worker to five thousand households in Bauchi State.”

The Members therefore urged the House to call on the Executive Arm, to place a premium on Agriculture in order to ensure food security and eradicate poverty, absorb agricultural extension workers trained in Abuja to assist small-holder farmers to address the many challenges of agricultural production in the State.

“The Ministry of Information is mandated to sensitize small-holder farmers on adopting efficient and sustainable agricultural practices to improve productivity and livelihood of farmers in the State.”

Similarly, the Speaker, Abubakar Sulaiman, who presided over the plenary, supported that the best way to reduce poverty in Bauchi State is through farming, thus, the motion was timely and important.

On his part, Musa Wakili Nakwada representing Bogoro Constituency said that about 80% of citizens of Bauchi State are farmers, what they need is guidance to improve their farming, noting that farmers are getting it difficult to know the best way to use chemicals and fertilizers in their farms.

Musa Nakwada recalled that, years back, there were many extension workers in the State but now they are nowhere to be found, hence the need to absorb the trained extension workers and employ more.

Also contributing, Majority Leader, Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu Azare representing Madangala Constituency, said that the motion was not only timely but very important because of the role the service plays in improving agriculture.

For Baballe Abubakar Dambam who represents the Dambam/Dagauda/Jalam Constituency, noted that in his constituency, there are only two agricultural extension officers, and the situation is creating low productivity in agriculture in the area.

While seconding the prayers of the motion, he explained that the Country is moving from agriculture for food to agriculture for wealth, thus extension workers should be employed and trained.

Hence, members of the assembly unanimously adopted the motion as amended and adjourned.

Agro Nigeria / F.I