Wedoany.com Report on Feb 7th, To position Jigawa State as Nigeria's hub for feed production and agribusiness, Governor Mallam Umar Namadi is leading a high-level technical study delegation to the Republic of Argentina.
This visit, conducted in partnership with international collaborators like El-Meena Farms Limited and Saudi Arabia's Alkhorayef Group, focuses on the industrialized alfalfa value chain—a key component of the Namadi administration's agricultural transformation agenda. The delegation is examining the agricultural ecosystem of Córdoba Province, whose semi-arid climate resembles conditions in northern Nigeria.
A central aim of the trip is to learn from Argentina's "cluster model," which connects smallholder farmers with high-tech industrial processing centers, ensuring domestic feed supply while boosting exports to Middle Eastern markets. During the visit, Governor Namadi and his team have conducted extensive field and industrial assessments to develop viable pathways for Jigawa's agricultural development.
Key activities include a tour of Biofarma S.A., an animal nutrition company in Córdoba, to observe advanced livestock health and feeding systems; visits to Nafosa and Pellfood processing plants to study large-scale baling, high-density compression, and pelleting technologies; and inspections of large-scale alfalfa, soybean, and corn farms to learn high-yield agronomic practices and efficient irrigation methods.
Governor Namadi emphasized the economic significance of the visit: "This is not merely a study tour but a crucial step towards job creation and increasing our internally generated revenue. By adopting these Argentine industrial models, Jigawa State will transition from subsistence farming to a commercial, export-oriented agricultural economy."
The Governor is accompanied by key members of his technical team, including the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Abdulrahman Salim Lawal, and the Director General of the Jigawa State Agricultural Transformation Agency, Dr. Saifullahi Umar. The visit is expected to culminate in formal joint ventures and technical partnerships, laying the groundwork for implementing related programs at El-Meena Farms across Jigawa's agricultural clusters.
