Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources

The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Taraba State, was established on the 27th of August 1991. The Ministry is currently headed by Dr. David Ishaya Kassa as the Honourable Commissioner.

 

The Ministry was created primarily for the following functions:

1. Advise Government on Agricultural matters.
2. Implement Agricultural Development Projects/Programs on behalf of the Government.
3. Provision of Farm Inputs.
4. Agricultural Extension Work and Farmer Education.
5. Preservation, Storage, Quality Control and Marketing of Agricultural Produce.
6. Quality Control of Farm Produce to meet International Grades and Standards.
7. Implementation of State Buffer Stock Programme.
8. Pest Control Services.
9. Agricultural Credit Administration.
10. Agro Data Collection, Collation and Dissemination.
11. Agricultural Mechanization.
12. Agricultural Land Protection and Management.
13. Promote Cultivation and Varietal Improvement of Crop.
14. Promote Livestock Development and Veterinary Services.
15. Manpower Development and Capacity Building.

Achievements of the Ministry
The Ministry has achieved a lot since its inception, amongst these are few notable ones worth mentioning:

1. Delivering 32,678MT of assorted fertiliser to 326,783 farmers.
2. Purchase 1,200MT of Grains for the State
3. Buffer Stock Programme.
4. Established an Industrial Cotton Grinding Centre in Kurmi Local Government Area.
5. Paid Counterpart Funds to FADAMA 2 (5,902,260). FADAMA 3 (46,400,000), and IFAD (37,000,000).
6. Achieved 31.6% Recovery on the One Billion naira Commercial Loan.
7. Procured 34ND assorted tractors and implements.
8. Procured 20 million naira worth of assorted tractor spare parts.
9. Procured 2ND heavy Truck heads and 2ND low beds and backup pair.
10. The ongoing construction of the Jalingo Abattoir.
11. The Jalingo Green House Project.
12. Won first prize for Best Tuber captured fish and the overall 3rd best position during the last National Agriculture show in Abuja 2014.

In order to achieve these functions effectively, the Ministry has five Agencies namely:

1. Taraba Agricultural Development Programme.
2. Tractor Hiring Unit.
3. Fadama 3 Development Programme
4. College of Agriculture.
5. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Dr. David Ishaya began his educational pursuit at Kassa Primary School in the year 1982. He then enrolled into Government Science Secondary School, Jalingo in the year 1987 and proceeded to the College of Agriculture, Jalingo in 1992. He further enrolled into the University of Maiduguri in 2003 and University of Edinburgh, UK in 2006 where he obtained his MSc in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences.

His professional achievements include;

Chief Lecturer – 2019
Principal Lecturer – 2014
Senior Lecturer – 2011
Lecturer I – 2009
Dr. Ishaya who was born on 15th January, is a native of Yorro L.G.A and is married with a child. he likes playing Badminton.

Mr. Danjuma Bujuje Akape (RAS, MASAN, JP) the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture was born on the 6th June 1961 and hails from Wukari LGA. He is married with five children.

Mr. Danjuma began his educational pursuit at Wukari LG Primary School Arufu from 1971-1976, where he enrolled into Government Secondary School from 1976-1981 and proceeded to the University of Jos from 1981-1986.

Achievements

1. Member Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, (Registered Animal Scientist RAS).
2. Member Animal Science Association of Nigeria (MASAN).

Other Achievements/Awards And Honors

1. University of Jos Prize for Best Student in the Faculty of Agriculture 1985/1986 Prizes.
2. Best farmer of the Year 2005 in Taraba State under the Central Bank Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund.

Workshops Attended

1. UNICEF TOT course on Small Livestock Production at NVRI, VOM Plateau State, 19th-22nd October 1992.
2. Management of Development organized by UNDP/SPC, Taraba State College of Education Jalingo 27th-7h November 1997.
3. Work Ethics and Productivity Improvement ITF Yola Area Office 18th-5th August 2013.
4. DIY Artificial Insemination Course, Ashbrook Equine Hospital Cheshire, UK 25th-29th November 2013.

He likes reading and playing of table tennis game.

The below Table consists of the List of Past Commissioners of the Ministry.

S/N	NAME	DURATION
1.	Alhaji Isa Musa
2.	Mr. Anthony Jellason
	Mr. Godwin Nyame
3.	Mr. Biyus Mubi Auta
4.	Mr. David Sati
5.	Alhaji Umar I. Kotsa
6.	Mr. Emmanuel Bwacha
7.	Dr. E. A Bobzum
8.	Mrs. Rebecca Hamza
9.	Hon. Luka Zangyang
10	Mr. Yakubu Tuktur

The Table below represents past Permanent Secretaries who served in the Ministry.

S/N	NAME	DURATION
1.	Mr. Tanko Orume
2.	Mr. Fidelis Bonjoru
3.	Hon. Danbaba Danfulani Suntai (Late)
4.	Mr. Yohanna Bitrus
5.	Alhaji Habu Sani
6.	Mr. Babale Maikidi
7.	Mr. Aboki Ali
8.	Mr. Joseph Machoko
9.	Alhaji Usman Kona