Bauchi Gov Launches 2026 Dry Season, Repositions Agriculture For Prosperity
By Khalid Idris Doya
Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi has described the repositioning of agriculture as the placement engine of food security and prosperity, job creation and wealth generation in the state.
He said, "When we assume office in 2019, we understand one clear truth that Bauchi is an agrarian state. Our prosperity is tied to the soil and to the farm, we therefore launched a comprehensive agricultural policy as a roadmap for transforming the entire value chain from production to processing and marketing".
To this end, the Governor disclosed, the state is on the verge of producing another production line with about two billion naira to make it more viable.
Launching the 2025/2026 Dry Season farming in Akuyam of Misau Local Government Area Monday, the governor stated, "We revived the agricultural development programme (BASDP), restored its funding and strengthened extension services so that our farmers receive guidance directly in their communities".
Senator Bala Mohammed said that his government reactivated BASAC to ensure regular supply of quality fertilizers, agro-chemicals and implements at subsidised rates, thereby bringing the state fertilizer blending plant back to life after years of dormancy, and cleared over N1bn in liabilities".
"Today, Bauchi Fertilizer Blending Plant is recognised as one of the best plants in the market. Our vision is to make Bauchi a fertilizer hub in the Northeast, and we are working assiduously to get other investors that would come from other parts of the world to provide fertilizer, having all the necessary minerals required to produce it".
"Let's make sure that these services reach the small holder farmer, the peasant farmer so that he would know the impact of what we are doing collectively", saying the government has over the past three years trained 1,250 youths and women at the skills acquisition centre, with each participant receiving starter packs worth N400, 000 to establish agric business.
He pledged to support local farmers through sustained provision of subsidised fertilizer, improved inputs and incentives to boost overall productivity, reduce poverty, and strengthen food security statewide.
The Governor noted that the initiative aims to expand irrigation, encourage modern techniques, and ensure year-round cultivation, moving agriculture beyond seasonal practices across the state economy sustainably forward.
Governor Mohammed urged traditional rulers, community leaders, and stakeholders to maintain peace, promote patience, and support harmonious relations between farmers and herders, warning against criminals hiding in forests or farms.
He described farmers and herders as symbiotic, adding that Bauchi’s peace, hospitality, and fertile land continue attracting investors into agriculture and livestock production, expanding jobs and incomes across communities steadily.
The Governor cautioned traditional rulers against indiscriminate allocation or sale of reserve lands, stressing they serve long-term communal needs, including designated grazing areas, with government ready to intervene where abuses occur
Speaking earlier, the state commissioner of agriculture, Ilyasu Aliyu Gital said that BASDP is now more field oriented ensuring that extension agents, communities, farmers are present guiding farmers on improved farming, climate facts, agriculture, case management and utilisation
Dr. Iliyasu Aliyu Gital assured farmers of timely distribution of inputs, pledging full implementation of interventions.
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