Agriculture
FCTA Promises Improved Productivity
The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has expressed its determination to improve the agricultural productivity of small scale farmers.
The Minister of State for FCT, Olejumoko Akinjide who sated this at the 2012 flag-off of the subsidised input distribution under the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme at Gwagwalada Area Council said this was to ensure that farmers got abreast of modern farming methods to boost their economic base.
Akinjide said the administration was equally committed to the development of viable agriculture entrepreneurship through the provision of free and technical expertise and farm subsidies.
“This underscores our firm conviction that agriculture, like so many other facets of our national economy, is essentially a private sector driven enterprise that requires adequate incentives and consistent policy support”, she said.
According to her, the FCTA has initiated various farmers’ friendly programmes that were geared towards attracting domestic and international private investment in the FCT agriculture programmes.
“Notable amongst these programmes is the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Agricultural Land Development Programme at Piri in Kwali Area Council where 15,000 hectares of agricultural land are being cleared and made available to potential investors.
“It is a deliberate policy to promote the development of a sustainable commercial agriculture that will not only guarantee increased farm income but also ensure availability of sufficient food for the ever growing population of the territory”, she stressed.
She further explained that under the farmer technology empowerment programme, the administration had provided tractors and implements to farmers groups and individual corporate farmers at subsidised rates to reduce land drudgery, noting that GES was the beginning of an era where the FG and the FCT would support farmers in the entire agriculture value chain.
She said that through the scheme, small holder farmers in the FCT would obtain 50 per cent subsidy on fertilisers and improved seeds of maize and rice.
“Good quality agro-inputs will be made available through the certified private agro-dealers and the era of diversion of subsidised fertiliser by middle men will go for good”, she stated.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinisumi Adesina said the government was committed in modernising agriculture as a business that would put money in the pockets of farmers.
He observed that Nigerians should produce, buy and eat locally produced food, adding that it would diversify the economy away from oil.
“It will enable us to create a lot of jobs and also reduce our dependency on using our foreign exchange to import food rather we will begin to export”, he said.
He revealed that the federal government has facilitated N30 billion to seed and fertiliser companies to enable them stockpile seeds and fertiliser and that 41,000 farmers have registered in the FCT to collect seed and fertiliser in the available 17 centres.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.
