JIGAWA RESEARCH INSTITUTE:- A NEW DRIVE TOWARDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

By Aliyu M. Dangida

It was one of the State Governments’ unique ideas on how to make Jigawa a major player in the nation’s economic growth. It had thought of the best ways make agriculture a source of livelihood to majority of the people of Jigawa State , big businesses, and came up with the idea of establishing an agricultural research research institute to drive the dream. That idea which germinated in 1999 was to become reality in 2003 when the State House of Assembly passed the “State Research Institute Law No. 2 of 2003.” That bill was signed into law on the 30 th of June 2003, and the Jigawa Research Institute was born.

Now, five years after the institute was established, it is becoming obvious that, the research institute is a vehicle for agribusiness growth in the State. This much became clear with the recent commencement of a free Artificial Insemination (AI) of cattle in the State, towards the end of August. According to the Director General of the institute, Alhaji Ma’amun Da’u Aliyu, the AI program is aimed at improving the local cattle breeds to help herdsmen and investors reap maximum benefits from their crops.

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According to Ma’amun Aliyu, the institute being supported by the State Government is determined to reposition the State agricultural sector through modern scientific and technological methods. This way, he maintained, the sector would become the major driver of the State’s economic and social growth. He explained that the AI exercise was one of such methods designed to enhanced livestock production, noting that about 3,000 cows would be inseminated in the first phase of the program.

He stressed that the main objective of the AI project is to improve the reproductive efficiency of the existing local cattle breeds, with a view to among others; Produce cows that can yield up to 10 liters of milk as against 3 liters produced by the indigenous breeds per day, to produce breeding bulls that can reach market value in just three years as against five years for local breeds, and also to have a calf every year per cow. One other objective is to produce cattle breeds that could withstand harsher environmental conditions.

The DG further explained that, the under the program, about 100 local cows would be selected from each local government and be inseminated with improved semen. He revealed that the institute has collaborated with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Rearers Association, and the traditional rulers in mobilizing fulani cattle rearers and other livestock farmers to accept the program.

He added that, a team of technical experts from the institute would go to the selected Fulani hamlets and inspect the cows, to determine the ones that will be suitable for the program, stressing that after the insemination; the experts would keep a constant watch on the animals to ensure ultimate success of the program. He expressed optimism that the exercise would be successfully carried out to the satisfaction of all, as the State government has provided sufficient funds and logistics support for the program.

The program seems to be enjoying good reception as most of the target beneficiaries who spoke with newsmen expressed optimism that the AI program is the beginning of good things to come to the State agric sector. Ado Ibrahim, a farmer from Karkarna in Yan’kwashi Local Government Area, explained that the research institute has been introducing new ideas into the agric sector in the State, and that, it is certain the State would soon take its’ place as the food basket of the country. “Jigawa is blessed with vast lands suitable for all forms agricultural ventures. In spite of ecological challenges such as drought and erosion, we still have great potentials in all aspects of farming, whether it is cash crop or livestock production. What the State had always needed was a concerted effort to harness its’ potentials for development. This is what the research institute in Kazaure is doing now. And with the institute current efforts, I believe the sky is the limit as per as agribusiness is concerned in this State”, he declared.

Ibrahim’s optimism is shared by one Hajia Hadiza Gezoji from Kazaure Local Government Area, also a beneficiary of the AI program. Gezoji, who had seven cows inseminated under the program, praised the State government’s foresight in trying to improve the local cattle breed through the program. She expressed optimism that the program would help her get better prices for milk and meat whenever the new breeds grow.

Alhaji Ya’u Haruna, the State chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Rearers Association, also praised what he described as the institute’s effort in modernizing animal husbandry as a way of making livestock farming more profitable business in the State. He pledged the full cooperation and support of members of his association in making the program huge success.

Since the program is expected to result in producing an improved cattle breed that would yield maximum returns to farmers, people of Jigawa should be encouraged to go into livestock production, thereby creating new employment opportunities in the State. The ultimate benefit to all, from this, is economic growth which would in turn lead to sustainable development.

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Apart from AI, the institute is also into other areas of research expected to move the economy of the State forward. Field plot and Bio-technology research on crops that are of economic importance to farmers in the State are two other important areas receiving priority attention by the institute. And the State Government has committed a lot of resources also to these areas.

According to Aliyu, the State has recently allocated 59.9million naira for the successful execution of three major research programs in order to ensure the successful restructuring of the State’s agric sector. He said the three major programs are already in full swing. He pointed out that, the field plot research which involved varietals test, seeds multiplication and evaluation is ongoing, just as the Bio-technology program aimed at introducing improved varieties of economic trees into Jigawa agro-ecological environment, now at an advanced stage.

By the DG’s assertion, the present scenario of government’s support to agricultural development and the institute’s focus towards research programs that are people’s  oriented is the beginning of an agricultural revolution destined to remove the State from the bottom of the country’s poverty scale, through job creation and wealth generation.

This assertion is also supported by the fact that, the institute is collaborating with other research institutions and international agencies such as IITA, IAR, DFID, JICA and USAID among others, for effective networking, capacity building and application for research grants.The institute itself was established through a technical cooperation with a Brazilian Agricultural Research Agency, EMBRAPA, under a memorandum of understanding between the agency and Jigawa State government in September 2003. The agency provided the institutional support for the development of a blueprint for the establishment of the institute. That technical cooperation, which covered all aspects of research and development, paid particular attention to scientific and technological cooperation, exchange of germplasm and staff training. Part of the agreement also provided for triangulation with international organizations, to obtain support for development. This sound technical cooperation provided the solid foundation for the institute’s take off and current performance.

Now, with the present administration’s recognition to agriculture as a vehicle for economic development, the institute is now an integral part of the State economic plans.

Commissioner for agriculture in the State, Alhaji Nasidi Ali,confirmed in an interview, when he explained that the State government is committed to improving agricultural productivity in Jigawa, through provision of improved seedlings and cattle breeds for maximum benefit to farmers. And to achieve these, he pointed out that the State government resort to funding Jigawa research institute’s programs.

It’s suffice to say that, with sufficient support from the State government and the level of commitment on part of the institute, Jigawa State could be one of the best examples of improvements in financial returns from agriculture in the country within the shortest possible period. The institute is undoubtedly at the fore-front of the State's new drive towards economic growth and development.

Dangida, Vanguard correspondent in Dutse, Jigawa state.