The Federal Government has disclosed that it has commenced the revitalization of Agricultural Development Programs (APD) in order to ensure an increase in the production levels of crops, livestock, and fisheries and the improvement of rural livelihoods, among others.
This was made known by the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Muhammad Abubakar, in Lafia, during the opening ceremony of a workshop with the theme “Strengthening the ADPs for Effective Agricultural Extension Service Delivery at the Grassroots in Nigeria”.
The ADP approach focuses on the small-scale farmer as a vehicle for accelerating agricultural productivity and production, focusing on three thematic areas: provision of rural infrastructural facilities, conduct of worthwhile training on improved agricultural technology; and supply of farm input.
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The minister noted that the restoration of the ADPs is a priority to achieve the mandate of ensuring national food security, recalling that the Nigerian national agricultural extension systems had recorded the most impactful performance in the days of APD.
He explained that the World Bank financed 66% of the total project cost, contributed in civil works, vehicles, equipment, spare parts, training and consultancy, while the Federal Government provided 19% of the input, to improve household food security, rural livelihoods and make Nigeria’s agriculture competitive in the global agricultural market.
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At the event, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State said he appreciated the choice of his state to host the program aimed at improving agriculture, which is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy that constitutes the largest percentage of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“It is imperative to state that the importance of extension services in helping smallholder farmers cannot be over-emphasized, in view of the capacity of the agricultural extension agents to assist our teeming farmers at the grassroots in managing the challenges of climate change and technological advancement in the country.” Sule said
