MINNA – The Niger State Government says it has distributed 128 motorcycles to agricultural extension workers in the state, to ease their mobility.
Alhaji Baba Madugu, Managing Director of the Niger State Agricultural and Mechanisation Development Authourity (NAMDA), made this known on Monday in Minna.
He said that the programme was in collaboration with the international donor agencies, adding that it would improve the dissemination of modern technologies among rural farmers.
Madugu said that female extension workers would also get 20 per cent of the motorcycles.
“This is the second phase of the distribution of 128 units of motorcycles to our extension workers, who are the front line staff of delivering the mandate of NAMDA.
‘’We aimed at improving farmers productivity through effective extension service delivery under the unified extension system of training and visit,’’ he said.
Madugui explained that 100 out of the motorcycles were purchased by NAMDA, while six were donated by the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
He added that two of the motorcycles were acquired by Agricultural Extension Transformation Agenda under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. Kuta Yahaya, said that the present administration had prioritised the agricultural sector, being the mainstay of the state economy.
He said that the extension workers in the state have been receiving interventions from the government, more than other administrations. (NAN)