Jigawa Eyes 500,000 Hectares Of Rice Production by 2030

Jigawa Eyes 500,000 Hectares Of Rice Production by 2030

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar A. Namadi, on Thursday reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to achieve the target of 500,000 hectares of rice production by 2030.

Malam Umar Namadi, who spoke in Dutse shortly after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a consortium of investors on a 100,000-hectare Alfalfa Production Project, described agriculture as the economic backbone of Jigawa State.

Gov. Namadi said, “About 90% of our population depends on it for their livelihood, and it contributes more than 50% of our GDP. Any serious government that genuinely aims to uplift its people should prioritize agriculture.”

A statement by Hajiya Zainab Rabo, the Senior Special Assistant on Media Affairs to the governor, and made available to newsmen, quoted him as saying: “We are number one in wheat production, and this year alone, we cultivated 315,000 hectares of rice. Our plan to achieve 500,000 hectares by 2030 is fully on track.”

Governor Namadi, who committed 100,000 hectares of land during the signing of the MoU, reiterated Jigawa’s total commitment to agricultural and livestock development, describing the sector as the backbone of the state’s economy.

“Livestock is synonymous with agriculture. That is why we deliberately created the Ministry for Livestock this year. Jigawa is home to the largest livestock market in Africa—the Maigatari market—and this project will further strengthen our leadership.”

The governor expressed strong confidence in the new partnership, noting that the successful alfalfa pilot project by Matura Farm had already demonstrated exceptional global potential.

“When Matura Farm started, many people doubted it was possible. Today, he is producing some of the highest-quality alfalfa in the world,” he said.

He assured investors of the state’s readiness to provide the full 100,000 hectares required for the project.

“The project is targeting 100,000 hectares. I want to assure you that we will make all of that available over time.”

Governor Namadi also emphasized Jigawa’s peaceful environment and investor-friendly framework as key advantages that continue to attract major investments into the state.

In his remarks earlier, the leader of the delegation and Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, stated that the project aligns directly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s priority agenda on food security and expanded agricultural production, confirming that the initiative would commence immediately.

Kashifu Inuwa said, “Priority number two of the President’s agenda focuses on boosting agriculture to achieve food security. The investment-friendly climate in Jigawa is one of the key reasons we are bringing this project here.”

On his part, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Professor Salim Mohammed, described alfalfa as a transformative, high-protein forage crop capable of boosting livestock productivity, generating mass employment, and expanding export revenues.

“On 1,000 hectares alone, over 150 youths are employed before cultivation begins—and many more will participate through planting, irrigation, harvesting, processing, and marketing.”