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[QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 35809, member: 636"]
Jigawa officials want people to speak up about anyone trying to ruin their dry-season rice farming program. The governor's advisor, Dr Saifullahi Umar, asked locals to help catch troublemakers who might steal from farmers. The state ranks second nationwide for rice production, with two million metric tons yearly from both growing seasons.

Officials plan to help 58,000 farmers through a special package this year. Most farmers work small plots between half a hectare and one hectare. These small growers make up 50,000 of all participants and receive bigger discounts than large farm operators. Small farmers get 20 to 30 percent price cuts on supplies, but bigger operations only receive 10 percent.

Farmers with one hectare receive rice seeds, fertilizer, pest control chemicals, and weed killers. Those farming smaller areas get half these supplies. Dr Umar said the government created strong systems to ensure only real farmers benefit from the program. He asked everyone to watch for people who might cheat the system or block progress on food production goals.
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