The Niger State Government said it will provide incentives to crash prices of food items during the Ramadan season.

The state governor, Mohammed Umaru-Bago, disclosed this on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the Gates Foundation on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Minna.

The governor said the move was to ensure that foodstuffs were available and affordable to the people.

He disclosed that the state had harvested more than one million metric tonnes of maize, adding that through Niger Foods, the state government had stabilised the price of food items.

Mr Umaru-Bago reassured the Gates Foundation of his administration’s continued partnership.

He called on the foundation to strengthen its relationship with the state on crops, livestock production, aquaculture and housing.

The governor, who disclosed that the state planned to move from one cropping season to three cropping seasons annually, said the partnership with the foundation would change the fortunes of the people.

He also emphasised the need to have a collaborative venture in irrigation to boost crop production and address climate change.

The leader of agricultural development work in the Gates Foundation, Obai Khalifa. said since the inception of the foundation 25 years ago, it has been committed to the mission of adding value to lives.

He described agriculture as vital, not just from the security point of view, but also from the nutritional value.

Mr Khalifa identified the challenges of underfunding and climate change as major factors affecting agriculture in Africa.

He pointed out that the foundation planned to tackle the challenges and be part of Nigeria’s drive in agricultural transformation.

Also speaking, the Senior Programme Officer, Agric Development, Gates Foundation in Africa, Audu Grema, applauded Mr Bago for his investment in the agricultural sector.

In his remarks, Chairman of Niger Foods, Sammy Adigun, described the partnership with the Gates Foundation as a key factor in the agricultural transformation of the state.

(NAN)