The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), says over 2,630 farmers 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 and Rural Development Secretariat, Mallam Ishaq Sadeeq disclosed this friday in Abuja 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.
He said: “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.”
Sadeeq was gratifying to note that this 4th batch of capacity building, training of trainers workshop was to cover 1,539 beneficiaries’
While appreciating the Area Councils for their contributions in the areas of sensitization and mobilization of their communities to support the project, he 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.
“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 added.
Also,, the Project Coordinator, Mr. Usman Adangara said the training was 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 the food supply chain.
He said 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.