The representative of the Permanent Secretary, FMAFS, Mrs Fausat Lawal (second from right) during the distribution of agricultural inputs and animal feed to farmers in FCT.
By Stella Odueme
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has distributed agricultural inputs and animal feeds to the flood-hit livestock farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The measure was to revitalise the agriculture sector, which was hit by climate change; improve farmers’ livelihood and enhance food and nutrition security.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, represented by the Director, Special Duties, Mrs Fausat Lawal, distributed the items at Project Coordination Unit Quarters, Kwali Area Council, Abuja.
Umakhihe also assured that the ministry was working out interventions to address the plight of livestock farmers.
He disclosed that the sector contributes immensely to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
His words: “The Ministry will remain passionate when it comes to improving the productivity of the smallholder farmers who are mostly women and youth.
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“We will continue to do everything in our capacity to encourage livestock production in the country.”
He explained that the initiative was a direct response to Mr. President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the agriculture sector to tackle rising food prices and shortage in the country.
In his remarks, the Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Secretariat, FCT, Alhaji Kolo Geidam, represented by Mrs. Onyeji Edith commended the ministry’s commitment towards enhancing farmers’ income and livelihood.
Mrs. Onyeji urged farmers to deploy what they learned from the interactive session to ensure a turn around in productivity in their respective farms.
Besides, the Director, Animal Husbandry Services, Mrs Winnie Lar Solarin, had explained that the event was an opportunity to share ideas, keep in touch with farmers and acquit them with modern technologies to help improve their farming activities.
She emphasized the need for farmers to get their farms insured to avert the risk inherent in the business.
She charged them to always report happenings in their various farms to the appropriate anthority in the ministry to streamline preventive measures to tame future occurrence.
One of the beneficiaries, a Livestock farmer, Mr. Yusuf Usman, thanked the Federal Government for timely intervention in the provision of palliatives to stepdown the devastating effects of climate change.
Yesuf pledged to judiciously use the palliatives to advance the cause of his farming activities.
Noticable points of the event were the practical distribution of animal feeds such as: poultry feeds, pig feeds, transport crates, salt Lick ruminant among others.
Also, concentrates and disinfectants were allotted to about 400 farmers in the livestock sub-sector.
