The Kaduna State Government says it is reviewing its policy documents on agriculture to align with global best practices.
Murtala Dabo, Commissioner for Agriculture, who spoke at a two-day Agriculture Policy Revalidation meeting in Kaduna, said the ease of doing business would be also revised to attract investments in the sector.
The revalidation meeting is in partnership with Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
Dabo said the investor friendly policies would also boost skills of the small holder farmers to enhance food production in the state.
The two-day revalidation workshop is being organised by the Kaduna state Policy and Agricultural Systems Strengthening (PASS) project.
According to Dabo, the reviewed policies will address critical areas on the ease of doing agribusiness, contract farming, gender in agriculture and soy beans policy in the sector.
He said that the state government’s efforts, in partnership with AGRA, demonstrated a commitment to transforming the agricultural sector and driving economic growth in the state.
Dabo commended AGRA for encouraging smallholder farmers by providing them the needed platform to enhance their productivity, stressing that smallholder farmers contributed no fewer than 87 percent to all agricultural produce in the state.
The commissioner assured that the policy, if implemented, would enable the state to enjoy food sufficiency, increased income and livelihood among the active practitioners in the sector.
Dabo said the draft of the reviewed policies would be presented to the Gov. Uba Sani for his assent after due process.
He urged all stakeholders to give the exercise the attention it deserved.
Dabo added that that proper planning was required and the outcome of the exercise would be the centre upon which all decisions in the agricultural sector would be based.
Alhaji Abubakar Abba, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry and Project Head, said the policy review committee was constituted to review the existing frameworks governing contract farming, gender inclusivity, soy beans and the ease of doing business.
According to him, the policy seeks to review, assess, identify and propose policy amendments that promote equity, sustainable agricultural growth and gender parity while aligning with national and international best practices.
On the ease of doing business, he said the committee was aimed at identifying barriers that hinder the smooth operation of agribusinesses in the state.
“The policy seeks to identify challenges, propose actionable solutions, streamline regulatory processes while improving infrastructure and fostering a more enabling environment for agricultural businesses,” he said.
Bage Bungwon, who doubles as state Director for Agricultural Services and Project manager, said the policy was a statement of action and a fundamental tool in achieving agriculture development.
He said the policies would give direction; provide objectives, strategies, among others.
Mr Abel Adejor, Lead convener, Policy and Citizens Initiative, said that the document was developed in 2019, but needed to be reviewed to meet current situations and economic realities for better performance.
Adejor expressed optimism that the state government would key into the document for it to become a law for strategic performance in the agriculture sector.
He said the gender policy would particularly attract women and youth into the agriculture sector.
According to him, the policy on soya beans will equally attract massive investment in the production of the produce given the large market for it in the state and the country.
The state government had allocated more than N70 billion or 9.3 percent of funds in its 2025 budget to bolster performance of the agriculture sector and boost food security.
By Ezra Musa
