Over 2,630 Farmers Get Grants In Abuja

By: Zakari Aliyu

Over 2,630 farmers in the Federal Capital Territory have benefited from the implementation of the World Bank assisted FCT COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus, (FCT CARES) Project.

The Acting Secretary, Agriculture & Rural Development Secretariat, Mallam Ishaq Abubakar Sadeeq, made this disclosure during the flag-off of the capacity training and disbursement of Agro-inputs to 4th batch of farmers that are participating in the programme in Gwagwalada, suburb of Abuja.

The Secretary said that the several achievements have been accomplished since FCTA keyed into the initiative in 2021.

His words: “FCTA has demonstrated commitment to the success of the project, which has so far empowered a total of about 2,630 beneficiaries from 41 farmers community Associations of the targeted 12,230 in the FCT under the programme.”

He emphasized, “I am glad to inform this august gathering that so far, FCT Fadama CARES has successfully disbursed grants to 2,630 individual beneficiaries from 41 farmer Community Associations across the FCT. This result was verified by the independent verification agents engaged by the world Bank during the first round of verification carried out in December 2022 and January 2023.”

While appreciating the Area Councils for their contributions in the areas of sensitization and mobilization of their communities to support the project, Sadeeq expressed optimism that the intervention will provide beneficiaries the required impetus to not only enhance food production but earn incomes to improve their living conditions.

“It is gratifying to note that this 4th batch of Capacity Building, Training of Trainers workshop is to cover 1,539 beneficiaries from 22 farmers,” he stressed.

The Secretary thus, commended the Fadama III Additional Financing Project in the FCT for its achievements in capacity building for farmers and distribution of inputs.

“This intervention is a part of the efforts of the FCT CARES project aimed at improving the lot of our rural farmers, thereby increasing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security in the FCT” Sadeeq said.

On his part, the Project Coordinator of the FCT CARES, Mr. Usman Adangara said the training is designed to build the capacities of participants in the areas of group dynamics, book and record keeping, environmental management, procurement, project monitoring and evaluation towards food security and safe functioning of food supply chain.

Mr. Adangara noted that beneficiaries are expected to share the knowledge from the exercise with other farmers to ensure that a large percentage of farmers benefit.

Some farm inputs distributed were fertilizers, spraying machines, rice seedlings, weed killers and Premiere feeds, among others.