The federal capital territory have designed a template to tackle unemployment and as part of measure to address specific areas of need towards the provision of effective and robust agricultural support services, particularly in the aspects of input and extension services, the FCT Administration has begun the process of updating database of farmers and all agriculture-related institutions in the territory.
FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, who made this disclosure at the opening ceremony of the Agribusiness Innovation Conference and Expo held at the International Conference Centre Abuja, also stressed that as part of efforts to upgrade agricultural infrastructure, the administration had embarked on the rehabilitation of old facilities while efforts are being made to establish new ones.
Aliyu, however, acknowledged that despite the important roles that farmers play in the quest to eliminate hunger, the agricultural sector was faced with so many challenges, including; lack of information on good agricultural practices, insufficient financial support, access to inputs, storage and processing facilities, pest infestation, access to markets as well as improved technology.
She said the administration has adopted strategies to overcome these challenges and restore agriculture to its prime position.
Some of the strategies adopted according to her include keying into the various federal government agricultural initiatives such as the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS), the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), amongst others.
“On the implementation of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) funded AADS, all the six Area Councils of the FCT, as well as participating farmers and off-takers have been fully mobilised and are ready for the take-off of the programme at the start of the 2021 dry season farming”, she added.
Earlier, the Ag. Secretary FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Malam Ishaq Abubakar Sadeeq, described the theme ‘#End Hunger: “Building A National Resilience For Sustainable Food Security” as apt considering the fact that the country more than ever before was in dire need of the participation of key stakeholders in enhancing agribusiness for increased food security and employment.
He noted that the FCT was not just about infrastructural development, as the Administration has been giving due attention to the agricultural sector in order to meet the needs of the growing population of FCT with food and nutrition.
Sadeeq said the administration has been implementing programmes aimed at making agriculture attractive to the populace and investors particularly in the areas of agricultural value chains development.
