The new Integrated Farm Estate in Suduje, Katsina State, which was inaugurated on Monday, would generate over N1.7bn in its first year of operation, the Federal Government has said.
It also stated that the estate, inaugurated by the President Muhammadu Buhari would engage 1,500 workers directly.
In his speech at the inauguration, which was made available to reporters in Abuja, the Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Land Development Authority, Paul Ikonne, said the farm estate comprised various forms of agricultural practices.
He said, “The entire farm has the capacity to generate over N1.7b in the first year. This farm has the capacity to engage 1,500 women and youth directly.”
On the agricultural activities in the estate, Ikonne said, “This integrated farm estate comprises 40 poultry pens with a capacity of over 400,000 birds; fish ponds with a capacity of 200,000 fish.
“It has cow and goat pens with a capacity of 500 animals; rabbit pens with a capacity of 3,000 rabbits; bee apiary with a capacity of 540 litres of honey per harvest; crop farming; packaging and processing zones.”
He explained that the 100 hectares farm estate had a school, clinic and a residential area, with 120 units of one-bedroom apartments for the farmers and their families to live and work on the farm.
The NALDA boss noted that when replicated across the country, the initiative would increase Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, reduce unemployment and would help in meeting the nation’s food security target.
He said the farm had a processing and packaging zone for fish, chicken and pepper, as farmers from outside the estate would also have their products processed and packaged in the integrated estate.
Ikonne said the participating farmers in the project were from 13 communities including Suduje, Madobi, Kaya, Sharawa, Sukwanawa, Dadin Kowa, Daberan, Benga, Kurneji, Zari, Mazuji, Tambu and Dannakola.
He further noted that NALDA had designed a management system where Jaiz Bank would manage the entire facility with a team of NALDA’s professionals for continuity and sustainability.