2023 Farming Season: Farmers to record bumper harvest -FCTA assures

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has expressed optimism that farmers will record a bumper harvest in the FCT this cropping season, as every measure is on ground for farmers in the Territory enjoy robust support this season.
The Acting Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), Mallam Ishaq Abubakar Sadeeq, gave this assurance during a visit to Agric Warehouses in the six Area Councils of FCT.
Sadeeq explained that the visit was to also monitor the distribution of assorted Agricultural inputs that were procured by the FCT Administration, to bolster Agricultural production in the 2023 farming season.
According to him, the intervention by the FCT Administration was part of its strategies to reposition the agricultural sector towards realizing the objective of achieving self-sufficiency in food production, increase agricultural earnings and creating opportunities to facilitate the growth of agricultural value chains and jobs for teeming population of the FCT.
He said: “The FCT Administration is hoping that this intervention will help to ensure that farmers, particularly at the grassroot levels have access to critical inputs at affordable rates, which is sold at 50% subsidy.
“We have tried to expand the scope of our distribution outreach to include: Agro-based Cooperative groups, Area Councils, the 17 FCT Chiefdoms, Organized women Farmers Associations, the less privileged as well as individual farmers. For the first time, we have included the ‘Sarkin ‘Nomas in all the 62 wards of the FCT”.
He further disclosed that the Secretariat has already distributed about 75% of the inputs since the exercise started in June; stressing that the FCT Fertilizer Distribution Committee has put in place adequate measures to ensure that the beneficiaries are adequately catered for.
“We are not unaware of the tendency of sharp practices in the distribution process, which is why the FCT Administration ensured that some of the inputs are customized with the FCT Insignia.
“The Committee is also expected to enlighten beneficiaries and also work with Abuja Market Management officials to be on the look out in their markets for illegal sales of the inputs,” the Secretary said.
Similarly, the Director Agric Services in the Secretariat, Mrs. Francesca Ihekandu disclosed that extension agents of the Secretariat have been deployed to the farming communities to provide guidance to farmers on the proper application of the fertilizers particularly the agro-chemicals.
Ihekandu added that ARDS has in line with its mandate, taken proactive measures to tackle the issues of pest infestation and post harvest losses.
According to her, some of the Agro-chemicals we have given to the farmers if properly applied will help prevent attacks of pests while the Secretariat will also buy off exercise grains to beef up its buffer stock programme.
However, in their responses, some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the FCT Administration for the support.
For representative of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Head of Agric Department at the Council, Mr. Abdullahi Adamu, who described the intervention as timely, also assured that the products will be disbursed to the real farmers in the Council.
In the same vein, Mallam Zakari Adamu, who spoke on behalf of the Sarkin Nomas of FCT, revealed that this was the first time that they were considered for direct allocation.
He assured that as representative of farmers in the 62 wards, they will make judicious use of the inputs.