Niger State Government has expressed willingness to partner with the World Food Programme (WFP) in the area of Agriculture. Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago stated this when a team of the WFP, led by the Country Director, Mr David Stevenson, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Minna. He assured that the State would farm crops in accordance with the WFP adding that the agricultural value chain is huge; hence, the State is ready to invest more in Agriculture.

The farmer Governor said that the state is capable of engaging in all-season farming, which he said will transition the state out of food scarcity and hunger and as well as meet the demand for food from the WFP. He explained that his administration would reintroduce school farms which would create job opportunities, aid food security as well as trade investment.

The farmer Governor, who briefed the team on how some parts of the state were ravaged by insecurity and flood leading to a high number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), called on the WFP to consider the IDPs in the state in its food and cash intervention programmes.

The Country Director of the World Food Programme, Mr. David Stevenson said their visit aimed to study the prospects of agricultural investments in the State and to see the level of development in the agricultural for possible partnership with the State government. He explained that the World Food Programme is an organisation established by the United Nations to provide humanitarian support, especially food support to people recovering from disaster, conflict, or the impact of climate change.
He said the WFP usually purchase food locally and distributes it to deserving beneficiaries.

The Country Director then commended the farmer Governor for his achievements in the last one year, especially in the agricultural sector and expressed optimism that the partnership, when sealed, would produce the desired result.

Bologi Ibrahim
Chief Press Secretary
to the Governor of Niger State
29/5/2024.