Katsina – Katsina State Government says it is partnering with the Republic of Belarus to boost livestock and diary production in the state.
Gov. Aminu Masari disclosed this while receiving the Ambassador of Belarus, Mr Viatcheslar Vasilierich Bezeosti, who paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Katsina.
The governor also received five tractors produced in Belarus from the General-Manager of E-force Group of companies in Nigeria, Alhaji Abba Usman.
Masari said that the state was blessed with large number of livestock spread across the 34 Local Government Areas.
“The state has comparative advantage in livestock production ready for tapping by companies that are involved in diary production.
“The First Northern Diary during the colonial era was established in Runka town of Safana Local Government in the state.
“The machinery and equipment that were installed for the production of milk and cheese are still lying there wasted.
“We are ready to join hands with Belarus to pump the necessary resources to harness the livestock sector so that our people who have been in the business of cattle rearing for hundreds of years will benefit,’’ he said.
Masari said that his administration would support and encourage mechanised and scientific farming through the provision of enough tractors and other agricultural equipment to the teeming farmers in the state.
He called on the Republic of Belarus companies producing tractors to include workshop, maintenance, supply of spare parts and other packages before supplying the tractors to the government.
Earlier, the Ambassador to the Republic of Belarus called on Katsina Government to patronise agricultural equipment and other heavy duty trucks produced in his country.
“The Republic of Belarus is ready to partners with Katsina state government to boost food and livestock production.
“We want the state government to provide a large parcel of land to us that will serve as a demonstration farm where we will produce some crops for farmers to copy,’’ he said.
In his remarks, the General-Manager, E-force group of companies in Nigeria said that their company donated the five tractors to Katsina government with the aim of supporting agriculture in the state.
He called on the government to give their company a chance to supply the tractors needed for boosting food production in the state.
The manager said that their company was ready to support the farmers to increase food production as well as increase Internally Generated Revenue by empowering the local farmers in the state.