The beneficiaries of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase-One (ATASP-1) have lauded the programme for its impact in tackling food insecurity in Nigeria.

The beneficiaries of the ATASP-1 in Enugu and Anambra states, at the weekend, also commended the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) for providing strategic infrastructural, capacity development and support for rural farmers, processors and other agricultural value chain actors.

They gave the commendations when a delegation from AfDB, Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Ministries of Finance and Water Resources, and ATASP-1 officials toured project sites executed by the programme in Adani-Omor Zonal Programme Implementation Unit.

A lead farmer, Bernard Idu, who spoke on behalf of farmers in Adani, in Uzo-Uwani Local Council of Enugu State, commended ATASP-1 for massive the investment in the moribund Ada Rice Irrigation system, Obinna Bridge and other projects.

Idu pointed out the difficulties and huge costs that farmers experienced while trying to evacuate produce from the farmlands after the old bridge collapsed until ATASP-1 came to their rescue.

“Our farmers are now preparing to start dry season farming because we now have a concrete canal to supply us water. We also have a bridge across Obinna River giving us all year-round access to irrigation farming,” he said.

Corroborating, the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Council, Chijioke Ezugwu, also commended ATASP-1 for the quality of infrastructure they built in the area.