Nigerian farmers adopt new farming technology—World Bank

Nigerian farmers have adopted 57 new farming technologies under the FADAMA 111 programme, Dr Adetunji Oredipe of the World Bank has said.

Oredipe, the World Bank FADAMA Team Leader, who made this known in an interview on Monday in Abuja, said the technologies were adopted by 30,300 farmers across the FADAMA 111 implementing states, adding that the beneficiaries were made up of 23,153 males and 7,143 females.

Oredipe said that the North Central embraced the highest number of 18 new technologies, while South West had two.

“Some of the new technologies include waste to wealth, liquid organic manure preparation and usage as well as solar powered board scare and dryers.

“A total of 40,062 farmers also received extension services from the Agricultural Development Prorammes (ADPs) and the North West region had the highest number of 16,640 and the North East with the lowest of 3,630,’’ he said.

The team leader, who commended the Federal Government for the proper implementation of FADAMA 111, said that plans were ongoing to support the National Seed Council (NASC) to undertake seed regulatory activities.

Oredipe said that the programme would also support the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC) to upgrade the existing Seed Genebank in Zaria.

NAN reports that Seed Genebank Unit is one of the major units of National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB).

The unit is saddled with the responsibility of acquisition, managing, conservation, distribution, regeneration, characterisation and utilisation of orthodox seeds.

He said there would also be renovation of the council’s seed laboratories in Zaria, Sheda, and Abuja, as well as the construction of five space unit’s office block in Zaria.

Oredipe told NAN that there was also a synergy between the project and the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) to establish community base seed system to bridge the gap of supply and demand.

Tayo Adewumi, who also spoke to NAN, said that the National Project Coordinator, Fadama III Project, noted that the World Bank had commended implementation of the North East Food Security and Livelihood Support Project (NEFSLAP).

He said that the direct beneficiaries of the project across the six states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe were the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS).

According to Adewunmi, on the average, the project is expected to reach out to 24,000 household’s direct beneficiaries with 192,000 indirect beneficiaries within 600 communities across the six states.

He said the 50 million dollars project being executed through the Fadama III Project-Additional Financing was aimed at encouraging North-East IDPs to go back to their base in order to continue to farm.

The national coordinator said the project had assisted in building the capacities of the beneficiaries, while adequate training on rehabilitation in terms of training provides improved seeds and application of modern technologies is ongoing.

“Women are also part of the major targets of the project, as the funds would support the women in areas of agro-processing equipment and the necessary support for good agronomy practices.

“To ensure effective application of modern day technology and capacity building, the project has provided in house consultants,’’ he said.