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Twenty one thousand farmers have benefitted from the National Programme for Food Security (NPFS) in Anambra State.
Speaking with Journalists yesterday in Awka, the Anambra State coordinator, NPFS, Imoka Leo, said the move to empower the farmers was in line with the state government’s mandate to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Leo informed that the farmers have been empowered to diversify into enterprises like piggery, poultry, agro-processing machines for rice processing, fingerlings, nutrition and health, which provide opportunities for the general and well-being of the vulnerable in the communities including the participating groups.
“We have empowered farmers to do what is called home garden we have also initiated school garden, through a grant made available from the state NPFS, to encourage young pupils in schools to know more about agriculture. Majority of our farmers are ageing, but these grants we have given to them would encourage them to participate in their various schools,” he said.
While noting that agro-processing sites had been identified as demonstration training centres for farmers, the coordinator said that their installation would be in a particular site, in three Senatorial Zones in the State.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, Gabriel Sunday Obikwelu, a farmer from Nteje Village in Oyi local government area of the State disclosed that small-scale farmers have the capacity to feed the nation, if necessary support was given in the area of farm inputs, adequate funds and training of farmers in capacity building.
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