African Union Development Agency/New Partnership for African Development (AUDA/NEPAD), in patnership with Enugu State government, on Wednesday, held an interactive session with
the traditional rulers and President Generals of communities in the state to discuss ways of strengthening agricultural development in state.
Addressing the community leaders at the meeting held at the AUDA/NEPAD office, Independence Layout, Enugu, the State Cordinator/Focal person, Mabel Agbo, said the aim of the meeting was to intimate the community leaders on the agricultural programme ,which will last for 10 years.
She said the Agency wants 170 hectares of land from each local Government areal of the state for the programme.
Agbo explained that the sons and daughters of the community would be the ones to farm on the land and establish livestock farm
She said: “I am glad to inform you that AUDA/NEPAD, Continental Office in partnership with some International Agencies/Partners took bold measures to cushion the impact of COVID-19 on our citizens.
“This project as the title connotes is aimed at empowering smallholder farmers in our different communities in all agriculture value chains and segments (Crops and Livestock) to boost their capacity for food production , especially in the aftermath of the devastating impact of the COVID-19 on our economy.
“May I state clearly that the Enugu State AUDA/NEPAD is poised to empower up to 2,000 small holders farmers under this initiative”, Agbo said.
The State Cordinator and Commissioner for Special Duties said that, the African Union has set the ball rolling by providing the money required for the realisation of this project.
She said that the time for the availability of Lands are limited and urged the communities to put head together and made the land available latest 14 day time, February 15, 2022.
Fielding question from newsmen, Agbo explained that there would be a Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and the communities
Speaking at the event, the Desk Officer at the Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, Afamefuna Ngene, who represented the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mathew Iduh,
said the programme was initiated by the African Union (AU).
Ngene said that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State approved the programme for the benefit of the sons and daughters of the state.
“This programme is versatile as it cuts across farming of livestock, cassava, vegetable and others,”he said.
Igwe Raphael Ezeh, the Deputy chairman Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, said that the programme was a good one.
Ezeh, who hails from Obige Obukpa, thanked the state government for the initiative.
“It is a pleasure that we are here to receive this good news and we need to go home and inform our people of the project,” Ezeh said .
Some other traditional rulers and Presidents General spoke at the event. They commended Governor Ugwianyi for attracting the program to the state, urging the state government to articulate the program in a document and give them time to meet with their people.
