The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has distributed essential agricultural inputs and animal feeds to livestock farmers affected by floods in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to rejuvenate the agriculture sector and bolster food and nutrition security.
The initiative, held at project coordination unit quarters, Kwali area council, Abuja, aims to mitigate the impact of climate change, boost production and address the escalating costs of animal feed across the country.
Representing the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, the director of special duties, Mrs. Fausat Lawal, emphasised the ministry’s unwavering commitment to intervening in the challenges faced by livestock farmers, recognising their significant contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Umakhihe highlighted that the distribution aligns directly with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the agriculture sector to combat rising food prices and shortages. He expressed the ministry’s passion for enhancing the productivity of smallholder farmers, predominantly comprising women and youth, and assured continued efforts to promote livestock production in the country.
“The ministry will remain passionate when it comes to improving the productivity of the smallholder farmers who are mostly women and youth; we will continue to do everything in our capacity to encourage livestock production in the country,” said Umakhihe.
Encouraging farmers to maximise the benefits of the distributed feeds and other items, he urged them to actively contribute to the fight against hunger and poverty in the nation.
The mandate secretary of agriculture and rural secretariat, FCT, Alhaji Kolo Geidam, represented by Mrs. Onyeji Edith, praised the timeliness of the program and commended the ministry’s dedication to enhancing farmers’ income and livelihood. He encouraged farmers to apply the knowledge gained from the interactive session to improve productivity on their farms.
The director of animal husbandry services, Mrs. Winnie Lar Solarin emphasised that the event served as an opportunity to exchange ideas, engage with farmers and introduce modern technologies to enhance their farming practices. She stressed the importance of farmers insuring their farms due to the inherent risks in the business and urged them to report incidents to the ministry for preventive measures.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the beneficiaries, a livestock farmer Mr. Yusuf Usman thanked the Federal Government for the provision of palliatives and pledged to make judicious use of the inputs and feeds provided.
The distribution event, attended by approximately 400 farmers in the livestock sub-sector in the FCT, featured the allocation of poultry feeds, pig feeds, transport crates, salt lick ruminant concentrates and disinfectant. This initiative underscores the proactive steps taken by FMAFS to fortify the agriculture sector and contribute to the nation’s overall food security.
