Enugu partners AUDA-NEPAD on empowerment of 2,000 small holder farmers

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has sought foreign support to mitigate the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people and the economy of the state.

The Enugu State office of the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for African Development (AUDA-NEPAD), on Saturday, held an interactive meeting with stakeholders in the state, who include Traditional Rulers of autonomous communities and Presidents General of town unions, on the agency’s agricultural project aimed at empowering small holder farmers and boosting food production in the state.

The Commissioner for Special Duties and State Co-Ordinator/Focal Person in charge of AUDA/NEPAD, Enugu Office, Mrs. Mabel Agbo, at the meeting emphasized that AUDA-NEPAD Continental Office in collaboration with some International Agencies have initiated a project, entitled “Innovative Strengthening of Small holder Farmers Capabilities Towards Productive Land Restoration Amid COVID-19 in Nigeria”. according to the Commissioner, “this project as the title connotes is aimed at empowering small holder farmers in our different communities in all agriculture value chains and segments (crops and livestock) to boost their capacity for food production, especially in the aftermath of the devastating impact of COVID-19 on our economy.”
Agbo asserted: “to reduce the negative impact of this pandemic, we must step up efforts to enhance the capacity of our farmers to provide food for the wellbeing of our citizens.”

Revealing that the African Union (AU) has set the ball rolling by providing the required money for the realization of the agricultural project, the AUDA-NEPAD State Coordinator stated: “our goal-oriented Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, was equally not found wanting as he readily approved the provision of the counterpart fund required for this project”.

Mrs. Agbo, therefore, urged the Traditional Rulers of the autonomous communities in Enugu State and the Presidents General of Town Unions to ensure that lands are made available for use by the potential farmers, who she said are eager to embrace the challenges of cluster farming but do not have the requisite land space for the agricultural project in their various communities.

The Commissioner stated: “As the custodians of your ancestral lands, we expect you to help by disentangling those cultivable lands under your jurisdiction that are not presently in use.

“We are also aware that in some communities, the Green Lands earlier earmarked/acquired by government for agriculture have been encroached by land grabbers.

“We enjoin you to help us identify these lands and take necessary steps to free them for use in this project”.

Also, the representative of the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Afam Ngene, described the project as laudable, commending the AUDA-NEPAD for the initiative.

The Commissioner equally lauded Governor Ugwuanyi for ensuring that the programme reaches all the nooks and crannies of Enugu State, for full actualization of the objectives in the interest of the farmers in particular and the state in general.

He hinted that the project has a 10-year duration that will outlive the present administration both at the state and federal levels.

In their separate contributions, the Deputy Chairman of Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Igwe Barr. R.S.N. Eze; Igwe P.U. Agbo; Igwe Engr. Okey Ogbodo; Igwe Greg Ugwu; Igwe H.I. Eze; the Coordinating Chairman of Presidents General (PGs) in Enugu State, Barr. Paulinus Eze, and other PGs, thanked Governor Ugwuanyi for attracting the international project to the state and promised to consult widely with their communities for the realization of the all-important programme.