FCTA TARGETS ZERO HUNGER FCT

By: Oluwakemi Ajiboye

The FCT Administration will continue to implement innovative agricultural programmes and strategies targeted at the attainment of zero hunger in the Federal Capital Territory.

Secretary, Agriculture & Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, made this pledge at the opening session of the one- week State-Level Cadre Harmonisè Analysis (CH) workshop organised by the Secretariat in conjunction with the Food & Agriculture Organisation, (FAO) & the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (FMARD).

The Secretary, who was represented at the event by the Acting Director, Planning, Research & Statistics of the Secretariat, Mallam Haruna Umar, acknowledged that in 2022, the Secretariat recorded significant gains in ensuring the availability of affordable food supply.

According to him, this situation was reflected in the 2022 Food Security Analysis Report conducted by the Cadre Harmonisè (CH), which indicated a 33% improvement in food security indices in FCT.

His words: “2022 was a very good year for us in the FCT, especially with the support we received from Mr. President, who approved the release of food items such as maize, corn, garri and other food items for distribution to vulnerable communities”.

He expressed the readiness of the FCT Administration to improve on the rating in 2023 by putting in place measures to ensure that farmers have greater access to critical farm inputs in good time before the start of the rainy season.

“Part of the strategies that we have put in place is to ensure timely provision of Agricultural inputs to our farmers before the rains. The Secretariat plans to roll out these inputs which will be sold at the approved 50% subsidised rates to farmers by the end of March, 2023″, he added.

The Secretary further said “our Extension Agents have been trained to strengthen their capacities to delivering quality services and we are optimistic that with all these in place, the FCT will experience a bumper harvest”.

He also expressed the readiness of the Secretariat to partner with well-meaning organisations towards repositioning the agricultural sector to meet the collective aspirations of FCT populace and Nigerians as a whole.