Ibrahim Adamu, 65, is the leader of a group of farmers from Zuru Emirate in Kebbi State who migrated to neighbouring states of Niger, Zamfara and Kwara due to insufficient fertile land back home.

Our reporter met some of these farmers who came home for the Christmas break and to attend the annual Uhola Agricultural festival, which begins from various districts ahead of the Emirate's festival early this year.

Adamu who spoke on behalf of the group, said he started his farming career at the age of 20 in Manga district and has been farming on a borrowed land where he makes between 30-40 bags of sorghum every season before his migration to Bobi in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.

"My family and eight others from my village in Manga district alone had to migrate to Bobi to start all over again on a new or another borrowed farmland.

"Zuru is surrounded by hill and rocky soil with barely enough fertile farmlands that are currently being taken over by residential development. 

"I left Semo Gyezo village because those who inherited the place took it over due to lack of farmlands in the area. I have my place of inheritance but I can't reclaim it because some people have taken over the farmland from me. So is the case with most others who migrated with us.

"While in Zuru, we had never had any assistance especially in terms of provision of fertilizer from then Sokoto State, but now, we heard that things have improved since we left in 1989 after the creation of Kebbi State.

"There was a year in the late 80's when we experienced severe drought in Zuru. Some government officials came to take account of the destruction of our farmland. We thought they came to help us, only for them to help themselves with our chicken and the little grains left which we gave them in anticipation of government assistance.

"In Niger I still harvest about the same quantity of sorghum and a little more maize, beans and rice that can be produced in Kebbi, if not for the shortage of land," he said.

Adamu said most of their children whom they gave birth to in Niger have married natives there. They seem to forget their cultural roots."That is why we come home every year with our families to see our ancestral home and our tradition,' he said adding, "if government provides enough farmland, we will come back because the soil in Niger, Zamfara and Kwara is not more fertile than our own. More so, the Niger State government is not doing enough in terms of provision of fertilizer which normally comes late into the season."

Another migrant, Sule Mani from Dabai District said they travel to places like Ogbomosho and some other towns in the South-West where they work in yam and okra farms to make money for their families to attend the annual Uhola.

Chairman of the Agricultural Development Committee of the Zuru Emirate Development Society, ZEDS, Alhaji Samaila Ikoh, said the exodus of farmers from Zuru is not only to Niger but also to Kwara and Zamfara states. 

Ikoh, an agricultural expert said "Look around and see, you will discover that the majority of Zuru land mass area and soil is rocky and surrounded by same rocky hills. That is why even the vast farmlands in places like Unashi, Kanya , Danko and Bena have been over-stretched. 

"Despite that, the emirate has one of the most fertile soils in the country with high annual yield, if not for the shortage of enough farmland," he said.

He said Zugur, Ibbi, Mokwa, Makera, Mashegu, Mariga, Rijau, Kontagora LGAs of Niger State have the highest population of Zuru migrant farmers.

"There is little or nothing government can do because you cannot expand nature.

"Unfortunately, it is a disadvantage because the emirate is losing a lot in terms of socio-economic growth and population especially where such migrants move with their entire families and relations.

"Those thousands that migrated have regrettably enriched those states to the detriment of Kebbi.

"Nevertheless, Zuru still remains the food basket of Kebbi because a good number of trucks loaded with grains are being transported daily from Zuru to most parts of the country."

He also said ZEDS will improve agriculture by establishing a Skill Acquisition Programme where beneficiaries will fabricate simple grain processing machines for groundnut, rice, maize and so on.

"We shall also introduce sensitization programmes through extension workers who will go to all nooks and crannies of villages in the four LGAs to educate farmers on bumper production of tomatoes and pepper," he said.

The President of ZEDS and former Post Master General of Nigeria, Mr. Nathaniel Zome, said migration of farmers is a natural phenomenon in search of greener pastures.

"We do not have an exact number of the migrants in the emirate, but I must say that they are in thousands and we shall continue to introduce programmes that will encourage them to come back and contribute to the development of the area. We are also concerned about such migration," he said

Meanwhile, Governor Saidu Dakingari  has advised farmers to utilize the opportunity of good road network constructed across the state to improve their income.

 A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Alhaji  Abubakar  Ma'azu  Dakingari, and made available to Daily Trust yesterday in Birnin Kebbi said the governor believes that farmers have an ample opportunity to embark on all-year-round farming, irrigation and wet season, through cultivation of food and cash crops.

"Kebbi State government decided to embark on massive roads construction to pave-way for accelerated development through interstate and inter local government road networks.

"The five kilometre Sabiyal-Kashin Zama road is to cost the state government N390 million including the bridge under construction," Dakingari said.