6,600 Farmers In Nasarawa Set To Benefit From Ten-Year Agricultural Project

A total of Six thousand and six hundred (6,600) small-holder farmers in Nasarawa State are to benefit from a ten-year agricultural project.

The Special Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Non-Governmental Organisations and Development Partners, Munirat Abdullahi stated this on Tuesday during a first phase validation exercise and awareness campaign held in Lafia, Doma and Akwanga Local Government Areas of the state. 

The project is in collaboration with African Union Development Agency (AUDA), New partnership for African Development (NEPAD), Federal and State Governments. 

The project tagged 'Towards Achieving the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' of United Nations in the thirteen Local Government Areas of the state had Lafia, Doma and Akwanga as pilot local government areas.

The project is also aimed at Innovative Strengthening of Small Holder Farmers Capabilities towards Productive Land Restoration Amid COVID-19 pandemic in the country. 

According to the Special Adviser, the project is targeted towards solving African problems by Africans.

Abdullahi who noted that eighteen thousand hectres of land has been earmarked for the project equally spoke on other benefits of the project.

"For dry seasoning farming we are looking at providing boreholes.

"For climate safe and sustainable farming we looking at using solar panel, provision of rural road some of project objectives are poverty alleviating, we will provide them with farming inputs,” she added. 

Former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Walter Resources, Naphtali Jarumi Dachor stressed the need for farmers to be sincere during the process, saying the project targeted at boosting maize, rice and sesame seed production.

On his part, the National President of the Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAP), Joshua Jonathan commended the Special Adviser to the Governor for having farmers at heart, saying they will take advantage of the project to enhance their activities.

In a remark, Programme Manager of Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme (NADP), Alanana Emmanuel represented by Director of Extension Services, Grace Joseph Edeh tasked farmers to redouble their efforts to ensure the success of the project.

Representatives of farmers from Lafia, Doma and Akwanga Local Government Areas among other youths and women groups pledged to put in their best to ensure success as they commended the Special Adviser for working towards changing the narrative in the agricultural sector.