Food Security: ARDS empowers FCT farmers to tackle Fall Army Worm

By Stanley Onyekwere

As part of proactive measures to tackle the menace of Fall Army Worm (FAW), the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) has taken enlightenment campaign against the invasive insect pest to farmers in the Territory, in order to boost food security.

No fewer than 250 farmers drawn from across the six area councils of the Territory, were yesterday exposed to talks on practical identification, management and control of FAW in FCT.

Declaring the sensitisation programme open, in Kwali, Mandate Secretary, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, said the engagement will help increase awareness that would assist the farmers to do all that is needed to improve their productivity in the agric sector.

Represented by Ishaq Sadeeq, Director of Administration And Finance (DAF), the Secretary reiterated that the ARDS will do everything within its means to make sure that it supports the programme, which will boost food security in the Territory.

He noted that the FAW menace has always been a very big problem,  and looking at the percentage of the ratio, if tackled effectively, about 30% will go. 

According to him, the FCT Administration through the ARDS will support farmers, by  making sure that they are actually  sensitised and have unhindered access to all the inputs needed to help tackle this problem.

“So if nothing is done, 100% of farmlands or whatever they produce, will go completely off, that’s why we are really giving them all the support and sensitisation needed.

“And what we are doing is engaging representatives of farmers across the six area councils.

“It is a continuous sensitisation campaign, because the representatives of the six area councils will go back to their domains and do the step down”,the ARDS Boss reiterated.

In her welcome address, Co-ordinator Ad-hoc Committee on Fall Army Worm( FAW) and Director, Agric Services, Mrs Francisca Ihekadu, noted that since 2016 FAW has brought tension and crisis to farmers in the FCT, even as it  portends danger to food security, which is why there is a global action for its management and control.

She disclosed that the FCTA through her Ad-hoc Steering Committee on FAW is intervening to ensure that FCT enjoys food security by preparing farmers towards controlling and managing FAW in 2022 farming season.

According her, FAW thrives well when there is a dry spell during the rainy season; and Nigeria Metrological Agency (NIMET) has predicted 15 days dry spell over FCT between the month of May and June, 2022, which is not good for maize production in the Territory due to FAW infestation 

 While urging farmers to plant when rain has established in the month of July, 2022, the Director, encouraged them to put into practice the knowledge from carefully selected  resource persons, so as they can be part of the success story of food security programme in the FCT.

Similarly, National Coordinator Project for FAW, Dr. Adeleke Adetunji, noted that the workshop, which is in line with the advocacy for constant sensitisation of farmers, is very timely and apt towards ensuring that the prevalence of FAW is effected managed and controlled. 

He commended the FCTA for reawakening the campaign, which he described as the right step in the right direction, as it would help mitigate the impact of the pest on farmers.