The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with major partners to establish a 50-hectare all-season demonstration farm at the Sabke Dam in Katsina State, while the Member representing Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency in Taraba State, Hon. Sadiq Tafida, has launched the distribution of 550 bags of fertilizers worth ₦25 million to farmers in his constituency.
The demonstration farm would feature four staple crops, namely: maize, sorghum, cowpea and soybeans, and would serve as a live demonstration site covering the entire agricultural value chain, from land preparation to seed selection, soil nutrition, crop management, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and market access. The agreement, which laid out a cooperative framework for the farm’s growth, was signed by the governor of Katsina State, legislators, the Sokoto Rima River Basin Authority, and business sector parties such as OCP Africa and The Infrastructure Bank.
The Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, stated that the agreement is a concrete outcome of a strategic public-private-partnership aimed at demonstrating the commercial viability of all-season agriculture using Sabke Dam’s irrigation infrastructure. Ibrahim described the initiative as a ‘proof of concept’ to show how water infrastructure can be optimised for modern agriculture. He revealed that following a visit to Katsina State, the NADF decided to take concrete steps by first funding “very bankable technical and commercial feasibility for the optimisation of this dam. This model farm will showcase an outline of everything from proper land preparation through to seed genetics, plant nutrition, harvest and post-harvest, and hopefully a go-to market strategy”, Ibrahim said.
The Executive Secretary added that OCP Africa, as technical manager, had completed a full soil mapping of the Sabke Dam irrigable area and would lead the development of custom fertilizer blends aligned with specific soil and crop types. “OCP has done a complete soil mapping and will now utilise that to showcase how blends should be put where they are in tandem with soil and crop type”, he said. Governor Dikko Radda revealed that “When the idea of the project was introduced to me, I quickly jumped into it, given the chain of benefits it will have on the economy of our state and on the livelihood of our people. We want to have activities in that project all year round so that we keep our people busy, we keep our facilities busy, and we optimise the use of the resources spent to build that very big dam that has been left fallow for a very long time”.
From OCP Africa, Dr. Alik Orevaoghene, said the farm would serve as a hub for capacity building. “The farm serves as a platform for teaching and for training smallholder farmers on good agronomic practices,” he said. According to the agreement, OCP is also expected to provide quality fertilizers for the farm and for any out-grower schemes. The Managing Director of SRRBDA, Abubakar Malam, lauded the effort as a revival of dormant infrastructure adding that “we are proud to donate 50 hectares of land for the development of this project and for food security in the country”.
Meanwhile, the Member representing Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency in Taraba State, Hon. Sadiq Tafida, has launched the distribution of 550 bags of fertilizers worth ₦25 million to farmers in his constituency. The initiative, which coincides with the 2025 rainy season, aims to support farmers in their cultivation efforts and improve crop yields. Tafida, who was represented at the flag-off ceremony, emphasised that the gesture is part of his broader constituency intervention programmes focused on agriculture, empowerment, and economic sustainability.
“At this crucial period of the planting season, it is our duty as representatives of the people to stand by them, support them, and ensure they succeed. This fertilizer distribution is a direct investment in food security, poverty reduction, and grassroots development”, the lawmaker said. The distribution would be carried out in collaboration with district heads and stakeholders in Jalingo, Yorro, and Zing Local Government Areas to ensure equitable and transparent allocation. Community leaders, party stakeholders, and beneficiaries have praised the lawmaker’s gesture, describing it as timely, impactful, and reflective of genuine leadership.
Active journalism costs huge sums of money. To ensure quality and rich agricultural journalism, the support of readers and friends of the publication is required. Donations can be made in Nigerian Naira (NGN). Kindly provide relevant information during transactions and be assured that funds received will be used judiciously and appropriately. For donation to FarmingFarmersFarms, kindly click the link below, call or send message to: +2348095451987.