Mr Lawan Geidam, the Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), Federal Capital Development Authority (FCTA), has called on FCT farmers to embrace the opportunities provided by the FCT Fadama CARES Programme.
Geidam made the call on Friday in Abuja during a training programme on operation and maintenance of productive assets for beneficiaries of third batch of grant disbursement by the FCT Fadama CARES Programme.
Fadama CARES promotes development in agriculture, livestock and aquaculture, as well as developments in such other areas as hunting, beekeeping, wildlife conservation, and downstream activities, including processing and marketing.
Geidam, represented by Mr Ishaq Sadiq, the Director of Finance and Administration, ARDS of the FCTA, said the training was to enhance the skills of the farmers.
He said the idea was to improve the livelihoods of the farmers and ensure food security in the FCT.
Geidam said the training programme was in line with the commitment of the FCTA to facilitate agricultural development, particularly in the area of post-harvest produce handling and value addition.
He said the FCT Fadama CARES had successfully disbursed grants to 7,383 individual beneficiaries from 109 farmers community associations across the territory.
According to him, out of the number, 2,789 have benefitted from assets for production and processing value addition.
He said the programme had also completed the provision /upgrading of water and sanitation in 10 wet markets with seven others at advanced stages of completion across the territory.
Geidam said the interventions were part of efforts by the ARDS to improve the lots of farmers and by extension, increase agricultural productivity and value addition to agricultural produce in the FCT.
“The ARDS is proud of the achievements recorded so far by the FCT Fadama CARES Programme.
“We wish to commend your efforts and urge you to keep up the good work you are doing towards empowering the teeming rural farmers of the FCT,” he said.
In his remark, Mr Usman Adangara, the Coordinator, FCT Fadama CARES Programme, said the training was organised to better equip the beneficiaries on the use and maintenance of the assets.
He said that 7,383 farmers out of the 12,283 targeted had benefitted from disbursement by the programme.
Adangara expressed optimism that the programme would meet the target before its expiration in June.
He said that no fewer than 242 farmers would benefit from the training programme. (NAN)
By Monday Ijeh
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