FG Cotton Seedlings Gift Excites Nasarawa Farmers
BY AHMED TUKUR, LAFIA – Determined to boost commercial harvest of cotton produce in Nasarawa State this planting season, the Federal government has distributed 300 tons of cotton seedlings to farmers in the state
The gesture is part of government’s bold initiative to ensure the cultivation of cotton in commercial quantities by farmers for enhanced revenue and their improved welfare.
The Nasarawa state coordinator of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Zakari Eladoga disclosed this to newsmen in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital
He said the seedlings were distributed through the RMRDC office to encourage local farmers in the state and ensure their access to improved varieties of seedlings that would boost cotton export among high revenue yielding cash crops.
Eladoga, who also disclosed that RMRDC has given out incentives to major cotton farmers in Assakio, Akurba and other areas within the state, said; “Report reaching us from most of the beneficiaries is positive and encouraging because we have reports of good yield of the cottons”.
“You know we have a lot of mineral resources in Nasarawa state, so we are trying to see how the resources will be mine from primary to secondary stage so that the state has maximum benefit for it”, the Council official said
He explained that the arrangement will reduce the high cost of importation of cotton and woo investors to the state due to availability of huge raw material deposits
“We will Support cotton farmers to reduce the high cost of importation
of raw material in the country. Other areas of concern is Maize to be processed to semolina; cotton to cloth while under the solid minerals platform, byte is processed to end product for use and other mineral resources”, Eladoga said
He also disclosed that Iron ore, copper, lead and zinc are found in parts of the state, adding; “We are in discussion with the state government for the citing of some industries in the state due to the availability of the raw material”.
For him, key objectives of RMRDC include bridging the gap in raw materials sourcing for our industry and linking Research Institutes and industries to sources of raw materials that they have comparative advantage.
