By Donatus Nadi,  Lafia 
Nasarawa state government on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Azman Rice Mills and Farms Lts for the cultivation of 20,400 hectares of land in Toto local government area of the state.  
Presiding over the ceremony at the Lafia government house, Governor Abdullahi Sule  said all the designated area has been mapped out by the  state Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, just as all the affected communities have given full consent for the take off of the project. 
Gov Sule explained further that all legal fees pertaining to the tripartite negotiations between the host community, government and the company will be settled by Azman group, stressing that full compensation  shall be paid before cultivation commences. 
He disclosed that the sum of N30,000 per hectare has been agreed upon amounting to N372,000,000 million for a lease period of forty five years. 
The governor said agreement has also been reached for the Kano based company to first consider the local communities as the first line of employment, just as they will also enjoy the out-growers scheme of the Azman Rice Mill and Farms Ltd. 
As part of the accruing benefits, he explained that the farm will be a testing ground for various species of rice which will attract the attention of the