ABUJA – Two committees have been established to aid in the expansion of agriculture in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, Minister of State for the FCT.
These committees include the Steering and Inter-Agency Technical Committees of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Projects in the Federal Capital Territory (ACReSAL).
President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of the partnership on the projects, which would go a long way in fulfilling the pledge to leave behind a legacy that will chart an unimpeded road for sustainable economic development in Nigeria, was thanked by the minister during the committee’s inauguration.
The World Bank facilitated the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), the first of these projects, according to Aliyu, to assist northern Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in addressing the serious problems of regional desertification control and landscape management.
Her statement that the project “aligns with the ambition of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to lay out greater landscape restoration of 4 million hectares of degraded land, and the pledge of bringing 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030,” is accurate.
She emphasized once more that the FCT’s six Area Councils would host the implementation, which would cater to farmers and farm groups, women and youth with their groups, and rural areas in particular.
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones program (SAPZ) concept, which is co-financed by the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), on the other hand, the minister noted, aims to mobilize private sector entities to develop value chains for selected strategic crops and livestock in the participating states.
According to Aliyu, the program will considerably advance the FCT agricultural sector’s modernization, cut food imports, increase value addition in the livestock value chain and staple food crops, and establish new economic hubs for the production of wealth and jobs in rural areas.
According to Aliyu, the State Technical Committee and the State Project Management Unit’s suggestions are forwarded to the steering committee of the projects, which is the highest decision-making body for the operation of the projects in the Federal Capital Territory (SPMU)
The nation’s capital’s official launch of the programs has been marked by today’s inauguration, according to Mandate Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, who also spoke at the event. He noted that several states across the federation have already accessed the programs.
Ibrahim emphasized that the projects’ goals are to solve environmental issues and revitalize the cattle industry to improve food and nutrition security and sustainably increase agricultural production.
However, he informed them that given the high expectations
He did, however, reassure that the two committees’ members were carefully chosen from key secretariat departments and agencies (SDA’s) of the FCT Government given the high expectations placed on the projects.
The FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, responded on behalf of the committee members and noted that the implementation of these two projects in the FCT could not have come at a better time than now, as the capital city is urgently in need of the implementation of innovative programs that can quickly ensure the attainment of food and nutrition security and enhance the quality of life for the FCT’s expanding population.
There is no denying the challenges of climate change and global warming, he continued.
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Jairus Awo
Jairus Awo is a Nigeiran Muiltimedia public interest journalist. He believes in the power of the media as a catalyst to development and societal growth. You can tip him an idea on Jairus@themiddlebelt.ng
Mon Apr 3 , 2023
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