NALDA empowers farmers, NGO reiterates commitment to food sufficiency

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has engaged 200 young farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to address unemployment and boost the economy.

Speaking during at the distribution of seeds in Abuja, the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, advised estate developers across urban cities to make space for estate farming.

Ikonne, who distributed vegetable seeds to 200 beneficiaries, called on the Federal Government through the land development authority to enforce law for every estate developer to create space for growing vegetables within such estates.

He said the theme of the training, “Grow Your Vegetable Programme,’ was an initiative of NALDA to empower Nigerians.

The Minister of FCT, Muhammad Musa Bello, charged youths to grow their own vegetables in and around their homes as empowerment.

He was represented by the acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), Mallam Shehu Abdulkadir.

MEANWHILE, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) has said that it is set for distribution of foundation seeds to ensure food security for Nigerians. 

Executive Director, Dr Kanangire Canisius, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, and said the organisation was coming to close a very important gap in seed distribution in the region and it would provide seed companies with quality foundation seeds to produce certified seeds. 

He said: “AATF commitment in Nigeria’s agriculture is enormous.  What is really encouraging for us is that our involvement in this country has been backed by full government support and partnership. Most of those we work with are government institutions and extension services, and it gives us great pleasure to make an impact on the government goals.’’

He noted that TELA maize is one of the AATF’s projects to address challenges of stem borers, Fall Armyworm and drought, adding that the Fall Armyworm (FAW) was negatively affecting the food production and incomes of several households across Nigeria, resulting in more than 268 million dollars’ worth of losses in earnings as recorded in four states alone, as of November 2017.