The National Agricultural Land Development Agency (NALDA) has said it is ready to collaborate with the Abia State government to provide technical support, training and inputs to resident farmers with the aim of improving food production.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by NALDA Director, of Communications, Tope Ojeme during a working visit by agency officials to the Government House, in Umuahia, Abia State. The visit was led by the NALDA ’s executive secretary, Paul Ikonne.
Ikonne noted that the agency had rolled out two different programs, namely ‘Back to Farm’ and the National Young Farmers Schemes, and that Abia State had been selected as one of the country’s pilot states for these programs.
NALDA Set to Engage Young People in Commercial Agriculture
He urged communities to make land available for farming while promising the NALDA’s readiness to partner with the state government in resuscitating the Ogwe Golden Chicken Farm.
“We will prepare the land, provide the inputs, train the farmers, and provide other technical support and this will help cut unemployment and insecurity will be tackled,” he said.
The NALDA provides strategic public support for land development, promoting an increase in rural incomes and the optimum utilization of Nigeria’s rural land resources for accelerated food production.
NIRSAL Empowers 2,872 Farmers, 475 Women in South-South Region
Farmersmanual previously reported that NALDA officials had visited Katsina State in preparation to launch the National Young Farmers Schemes.
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu stated that under his leadership, Abia State is willing to work with the NALDA in critical areas that would ensure value addition and make the state a major food processing hub.
Ikpeazu, however, called on the federal government for an urgent intervention to tackle gully erosion, which has negatively impacted agriculture and other activities in the state.
