The Adamawa State Government has joined forces with the Federal Government to empower 2 million farmers as part of the National Agriculture Growth Scheme and Agric-pocket (NAGSAP) initiative, launched by President Bola Tinubu.
This collaboration was announced by Prof. David Jatau, the Adamawa Commissioner for Agriculture, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Sunday.
Prof. Jatau emphasized that President Tinubu’s initiative aligns with Governor Umar Fintiri’s commitment to investing in agriculture.
The goal is to enhance food security, create employment opportunities, and ultimately improve the living standards of people in the state.
Currently, enumerators are actively registering farmers at various levels, including local governments, wards, and unit levels.
Governor Fintiri has instructed the 21 council chairmen to provide 300 hectares of land each, amounting to a total of 6,300 hectares.
This land will be allocated to 6,300 farmers across the state, who will receive all necessary farm inputs, including land preparation, to cultivate the land.
“At the end of the harvest, those who cultivate the farms will own the produce,” Jatau explained. “The aim is to combat youth restiveness and unemployment, as well as to enhance food security by ensuring the availability of food.”
In addition to this, each Local Government Area (LGA) will provide one hectare of land to serve as a model farm for training 100 youths in each LGA on climate-smart agriculture.
This training will cover farm management, the use of improved seeds, and the application of agrochemicals.
Upon completing the training, these youths will receive incentives to continue farming in their respective communities.
“To support this initiative, Governor Fintiri has already engaged consultants and plans to hire more extension workers to raise awareness about modern farming techniques at the grassroots level,” Jatau added.
This comprehensive initiative demonstrates the commitment of both the Adamawa State Government and the Federal Government to fostering agricultural development, reducing unemployment, and improving food security in the region.
