Research is central to Jigawa Governor Umar Namadi’s plan to boost food security through climate-smart agriculture, improved seeds, irrigation and modern farming technologies.
Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi has urged agricultural researchers to prioritise practical research and climate-smart technologies to improve crop production, strengthen food security and address the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Namadi made the call on Monday while delivering an address at the 11th National Annual Conference of the Crop Science Society of Nigeria (CSSN), hosted by the Federal University Dutse in Jigawa State.
The conference, themed “Advancing Sustainable Crop Production and Climate-Smart Technology for Food Security and Economic Growth,” brought together agricultural experts and researchers to discuss strategies for improving farming practices and productivity.
The governor urged researchers to develop drought- and heat-tolerant crop varieties, restore soil fertility, improve access to certified seeds, reduce post-harvest losses and investigate the factors preventing farmers from adopting proven agricultural technologies.
He emphasised the need for targeted studies on sorghum, millet, cowpea, maize, wheat and rice to help farmers adapt to shorter growing seasons, rising temperatures and increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns.
Namadi also highlighted the importance of soil mapping, site-specific fertiliser recommendations and biological solutions to declining soil fertility. He called for affordable preservation and processing technologies and more effective systems for distributing quality seeds to farmers.
The governor further challenged researchers to identify ways to build farmers’ confidence in new technologies and encourage young people to pursue opportunities in agribusiness.
“A farmer with a hoe and old seed cannot outproduce climate change,” he said.
Namadi identified leadership, research and investment as the three pillars of agricultural transformation, stressing that farmers also needed access to irrigation, mechanisation, finance and reliable markets to increase production.
He said the Jigawa State Agricultural Policy 2024–2030 prioritised climate-smart farming, irrigation development, mechanisation, improved seed systems, value addition and market access.
According to the governor, the state government had deployed 450 tractors and 70 combine harvesters and established 60 mechanisation centres through its agricultural mechanisation company.
He added that the state was collaborating with the Federal Government to develop 18,000 hectares of farmland in the Hadejia Valley and deploy solar-powered water pumps to support upland irrigation.
Namadi also disclosed that the government had targeted 90,000 farmers for fertiliser distribution during the 2026 wet-season farming programme.
To strengthen agricultural advisory services, he said the state had deployed 1,700 extension agents and distributed 1,185 motorcycles to improve support for farmers.
On agricultural research and capacity development, the governor said Jigawa’s wheat value-chain research programme had supported 10 PhD and master’s degree researchers, while 80 academics were pursuing postgraduate studies abroad.
He also said the government was developing 200 integrated rice-processing clusters and supporting investments in processing rice, sesame, hibiscus and wheat to promote value addition and reduce post-harvest losses.
The governor stressed that research findings must translate into measurable improvements in farming practices, crop yields and farmers’ incomes.
His position aligns with the Jigawa State Agricultural Policy 2024–2030, which identifies irrigation expansion, renewable-energy-powered farming, mechanisation and sustainable resource management as important measures for improving agricultural productivity and resilience. Source: Jigawa State Agricultural Policy 2024–2030.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Dutse, Prof. Ahmad Gumel, said climate change was disrupting rainfall patterns, increasing temperatures and threatening agricultural productivity.
He described climate-smart agriculture as essential to food security, economic growth and national stability, calling for stronger collaboration among universities, government agencies, research institutes, farmers and private-sector organisations to translate scientific findings into practical solutions.
Similarly, the President of the Crop Science Society of Nigeria, Prof. Aminu Ahmad, identified climate variability, declining soil fertility, pests, diseases and rising production costs as major challenges confronting crop production.
Ahmad urged members of the association to develop improved crop varieties and efficient soil and water management technologies to increase yields and support sustainable agricultural development.
He said the conference provided an opportunity for researchers and other stakeholders to exchange ideas and formulate recommendations for improving crop production.
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