Th e Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), yesterday, said about 9,000 farmers within the FCT have so far been registered to participate in the CBN Anchor Borrowers programme. Acting Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Dr Musa Aliyu, who told newsmen in Abuja, said 16 Village Extension Agents and 800 farmers from the Area Councils have been trained and would be issued certifi cates on the day of formal launching in the FCT.
He said the programme was targeted at small holder farmers who were into crops where FCT enjoyed comparative advantage like rice and soya beans production. According to him, “in line with the mandate of this sub sector in driving programmes in the agricultural sector, the FCT Agricultural Development Project continued to provide innovative advisory services on global agricultural best fi t technologies to about 200,000 farming families.
“Th e achievements so far include the average yield of rice increased from 2.0 metric tons/hectare to 3.5 metric tons per hectare; cassava witnessed upward review from 16 metric tons/hectare to 20 metric tons/hectare”, he added. Dr Aliyu also said the FCT administration has also strengthened the capacity of 2, 000 farmers associations by way of training and linkage to agricultural fi nance, adding that, “the FCT ADP continued to collaborate with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Competitive Africa Rice Imitative, British America Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, United States Agency for International Development, Food and Agricultural Organization, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Central Bank of Nigeria, Notore Fertilizer Company and National Association of Nigeria Traders.” Th e Secretary also stated that pest management control has helped to curtail the spread of the tomato pesto otherwise referred to as “Tuta Absoluta” which aff ected to farmers in 2016.
