By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar has expressed hope that the National Agricultural Extension Development Committee (NAEDC) forum would accelerate gricultural Extension Services Delivery, Improve Technology Innovation and livelihoods of Nigerian Farmers.
The Minister stated this at a 2 Day Workshop for 2022 National Agricultural Extension Development Committee (NAEDC) Meeting with theme ‘’ Strengthening the ADPs for Effective Agricultural Extension Service Delivery at the Grassroots in Nigeria’’ which took place recently at the Nassarawa State Government House, Lafia, Nassarawa State.
Abubakar stated that NAEDC was a veritable tool to interact, clarify and amplify some of the on-bgoing policy objectives of the present administration in the Agricultural extension sub sector.
He revealed that the forum had formed part of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension (FDAE) strategy to achieve one of its key mandates of the coordination of the Nigeria Agricultural Extension System (NARES).
The Minister stated that the meeting would assess the status of National Agricultural Extension System particularly national coordinating activity at the Federal level and efforts of Agricultural Development Programmes in States in carrying out agricultural extension delivery service ‘’ this NAEDC is therefore an opportunity to review progress in the sector and project for future’’.
He urged the Stakeholders to review the progress on the legislation of the Draft National Agricultural Extension Policy, provide solutions to identify logjams and do unbiased investigation of the major factors that had hampered the effective performance of Agricultural Development Programme (APD) in agricultural development including the existence of synergy or lack of it.
In his remarks, the Governor of Nassrawa State, Engr. Abdullahi Sule stated that the state administration had left no stone unturned in ensuring that the policies of the Federal Government on agricultural were well positioned and implemented in alleviating people from the shades of the realities of life.
According to him: ‘’Partnering Agriculture have become expedient in the lives of everyone, because each and every one of us here depend on all facets of agriculture for survival.”
In his welcome address, the Nassarawa Commissioner for Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr. Ibrahim Oshafu, pointed out that the state government has made the workshop a priority which would fast track the agricultural extension services towards achieving food and nutrition security.
Ezeaja Ikemefuna
Chief Information Officer
For: Director, Information (FMARD