Ibrahim Ibrahim
The Jigawa State Government has entered into a strategic partnership with a leading Saudi Arabian agricultural firm and Nigeria-based Netay Agro-Tech to enhance date palm production in the state.
Governor Mallam Umar Namadi disclosed this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from one of Saudi Arabia’s largest agricultural firms, specializing in palm plantation and farm management, led by Abdelaziz Abdurrahman Al-Awf, at the Government House, Dutse.
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The collaboration aims to introduce advanced farming techniques, technology transfer, and large-scale investment in date palm cultivation.
Speaking at the event, Abdulaziz Al-Awf emphasized his group’s commitment to modernizing Jigawa’s date palm sector.
He highlighted that the partnership would introduce state-of-the-art farming techniques to ensure year-round production rather than seasonal yields.
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“Our collaboration will significantly enhance both the quality and quantity of dates produced in Jigawa, positioning the state as a major hub for date farming in Nigeria and Africa. This initiative will also involve extensive farmer training, youth empowerment, and the introduction of high-yielding date palm varieties from Saudi Arabia,” he stated.
Governor Namadi reaffirmed his administration’s full support for the initiative, stressing that it aligns with the state’s agricultural development agenda.
“We warmly welcome this partnership and appreciate your interest in Jigawa’s agricultural sector. Our government is fully committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure the successful implementation of this project. Your visit and willingness to invest in date farming, as well as improve our wheat production, complement our vision for agricultural transformation,” the governor stated.
He further noted that Jigawa is already Nigeria’s leading wheat producer and expressed his ambition to expand the state’s dominance in date palm cultivation.
During the visit, the Saudi delegation, alongside representatives from Netay Agro-Tech, toured various locations across the state to assess existing date palm plantations.
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Abubakar Musa Bamai, CEO of Netay Agro-Tech, highlighted the groundwork already done, including soil analysis and consultations with research institutions.