MS Gloria Akobundu, the National Coordinator, African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) says the agency is set to hold a 2-day summit to strengthen smallholder farmers and promoting food security in the country.
A statement by Mr Abolade Ogundimu, Media Assistant to Akobundu, on Saturday quoted her as saying this when she received the AUDA-NEPAD Continental Technical Team in her office in Abuja.
Akobundu, who said that the upcoming programme was in line with the agency’s mandates, added that the initiative was to promote economic development and eradicate poverty in Africa and in Nigeria in particular.
“AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, in collaboration with its continental office is organising a 2-day Summit/Technical Roundtable engagement.
“The Summit would be held from Dec. 8 to Dec. 9; the initiative is to strengthen smallholder farmers in selected pilot states in the six geo-political zones, amid COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
According to Akobundu, the programme will focus on value addition to farming process and create wealth at the grassroots.
“Our mothers, fathers and youths are working tirelessly on farms as can be seen in the availability of local crops in the market, but there is urgent need to improve the productivity in the country through such initiative.
“This initiative includes skills acquisition to farmers on the use of modern tools, climate evaluation that will identify commercially viable crops in various parts of the country.
“It will also train farmers on crop preservation and curb wastages, while also provide platform for cordial relations between farmers and off takers,” she said.
Akobundu further explained that the initiative would mitigate impact of COVID-19 pandemic among African nations, adding that Nigeria had put in place the required National Project Steering Committee, chaired by Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara.
Akobundu said that state governors and their representatives were among critical stakeholders that would work with AUDA-NEPAD to ensure success of the initiative.
She, therefore, advocated cooperation of all stakeholders to enable Nigeria to achieve food sufficiency and feed its over 200 million population with all the food it requires.
She stated that the continental technical team had noted the importance of Nigeria’s food sufficiency to Africa, adding that Nigerians had the potential to make the best and benefit from the programme.
The team was led by Mr Diakhite Mamadou, Head of Food Security, of AUDA-NEPAD Continental, supported by Ambassador Diallo Amadou of Great Green wall Initiative and Benjamin Uche of AUDA-NEPAD Continental.
