…Stimulate effective wet, dry season farming across Nigeria
The Federal Government said it is set to provide more employment through the agricultural sector by stimulating effective wet and dry seasons farming across the country to improve the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar, said this in his address at the launch of the Anambra State wet season farming which took place yesterday in Awka, the state capital.
The minister, who was represented by the state director of FMARD, Arthur Mbuba, appreciated the fact that ‘Anambra Rice’ has gained both local and international prominence in the nation’s bid to attain self-sufficiency in food production and poverty eradication.
He was convinced that more successes would be recorded in no time.
“To bridge all existing gaps, the Federal Government has introduced the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Plan (NATIP) to improve on the achievements of the previous Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). This new policy will revolutionalise agriculture through intensive mechanisation, use of improved seeds, provision of infrastructure, extension services delivery etc.”
“Anambra State has continued to benefit from most of the agricultural interventions of the Federal Government. The farmers in six local government areas – Anambra east, Anambra west, Ayamelum, Ogbaru, Ihiala and Awka north – that were affected by floods in 2020 received so many support materials such as seeds, fertiliser, fingerlings (fish), feeds, poultry, canoes, net, pigs, sheep, goat etc. from the Federal Government and the distribution of aquaculture component of this programme is ongoing.
“The state is actively participating in many agriculture-oriented projects sponsored by donor agencies like Omor-Adani Staple Crops Processing Zone (ATASP-1), Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRESS), Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP),” he said
The minister added that the Federal Government is also making provisions to further support the farmers through subsidised agrochemicals, tractors/equipment, recapitalisation of the bank of agriculture for enhanced lending to farmers, as well as the presidential initiatives on fertiliser.
