Waziru Dogo Mohammed, a medical doctor and former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), once humorously pointed out that agriculture in northern Nigeria is stuck in a time warp. He remarked that the younger generation shuns farming, often fleeing to urban areas to avoid the torturous, monotonous routines handed down through generations.
Early Farming Methods
According to him, the farming methods used in the region, having evolved since ancient times, resemble techniques from the era of Adam and Eve with little to no incorporation of scientific research or innovation. ‘Naduƙe,’ they called it then and now. Mr Dogo shared this insight with our group, which consisted mostly of civil servants eager to delve into agriculture. We had embarked on a study tour to his much-talked-about mechanized farm, situated just a short distance away in neighbouring Bauchi State. His words echoed as we then observed the promising yet challenging landscape of…