By Ola Kay
No fewer than 9,170 farmers under the Fadama CARES program in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have benefited from the federal government advanced agricultural support within the first year of the current administration. This milestone was announced by Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, the Minister of State for the FCT, during a flag-off ceremony for the fourth batch of grant distributions.
Dr. Mahmoud notedY that the initiative has already benefited 3,150 farmers in the third batch, while the fourth batch will see an additional 6,020 new beneficiaries. This brings the total number of farmers supported to 9,170, representing a remarkable 216% increase compared to the 4,233 beneficiaries served by the program in the two years prior to this administration.
The minister said:”This substantial increase in beneficiaries not only demonstrates our commitment to improving livelihoods but also reflects a significant achievement for both the state and the nation, while observing that the program consist the provision of water and sanitation facilities to ten wet markets across the six area councils of the FCT.
The Fadama CARES program aims to enhance food security and ensure the smooth functioning of food supply chains by supporting the recovery and growth of agricultural activities, with a particular focus on women and unemployed youth engaged in agricultural value chains. Mahmoud emphasized that the program is designed to support the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable individuals in these sectors.
The main ster of state, FCT stated that ‘his program aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, underscoring his administration’s commitment to sustainable food production and poverty reduction,” pointing out that the initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable households in the FCT.
In addition to supporting farmers, the programme also focuses on youth empowerment. As part of this effort, starter packs have been provided to 94 trainees from the FCT – Leventis Foundation School of Agriculture, enabling them to apply their skills in real-world settings.
Mandate Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, Lawan Kolo Geidam, also provided details on the fourth batch of disbursements. He stated that 82 farmers’ community associations across the six area councils of the FCT have been selected to benefit from the program.
Over the past year, the initiative has distributed a substantial quantity of agricultural supplies, including 12,436 bags of NPK fertilizer, 6,218 bags of urea, 18,654 liters of agrochemicals, and 43,526 kg of assorted seeds. Additionally, 55,400 day-old chicks, 7,756 bags of poultry feeds, and 81,800 juveniles (catfish) along with 2,045 bags of fish feed have been provided.
Under the Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI) 2.3, the program has also distributed 3,690 goats, 3,212 sets of farm assets (such as sprayers, personal protective equipment, and water pumps), 1,006 grinding machines, and 22 units of 2MT/hour multipurpose threshers. The initiative has also included the installation of water and sanitation facilities in ten wet markets across the area councils.
Highlight of my occasion include with the distribution of essential farming items including fertilizers, seeds, agrochemicals, sprayers, and personal protective equipment, further supporting the farmers and underscoring the program’s impact on enhancing agricultural practices and boosting local economies.
About The Author
