FG Launches Bold Initiative to Support 60,000 Farmers, Boost Agricultural Productivity Nationwide

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Earnest Apolabi Umakhiha has announced the implementation of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme aimed at supporting 60,000 farmers in the five ATASP-15 States.

The program will provide highly subsidized inputs to farmers to boost their production and enhance economic well-being.

Additionally, it is expected to significantly contribute to the national agricultural output.

Dr. Umakhiha emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to the initiative, with plans to cover 80% of the total input package cost.

The participating farmers will be responsible for paying the remaining 20% at the Redemption Centre to receive the inputs.

During the distribution of Federal Farming implements in Kano, the Permanent Secretary reiterated the government’s dedication to increasing food production in the country.

Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf commended the Federal Government for these initiatives, as they create opportunities for farmers to access loans from reliable creditors.

He highlighted the significant benefits Kano’s farmers have already received from the Federal Government’s ATASP Farming program.

Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase-1, Ibrahim Mohammed Arabi, explained that the challenges posed by Covid-19 and insecurity, coupled with food insecurity concerns, led to the restructuring of ATASP-1.

The new program, known as NAGS-AP, seeks to improve the production and productivity of staple food crops, thereby mitigating the nation’s food security situation.

Mr. Arabi further elaborated on the objectives of NAGS-AP, which align with those of ATASP-1. These include ensuring food and nutrition security, generating employment and wealth for targeted beneficiaries along the rice, sorghum, and cassava value chains, attracting private sector investments in agriculture, reducing post-harvest losses, adding value to local agricultural produce, developing rural infrastructure, and enhancing access to financial services and markets for farmers and other value chain actors.

Under ATASP-1, the program aims to create 120,000 jobs, increase farmers’ and rural entrepreneurs’ incomes by 25%, provide training and empowerment for 40,000 youths and women in various agricultural enterprises, and produce 20,000 metric tons of major food crops annually for five years.

The Agricultural Transformation Support Program Phase One (ATASP-1) covers 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in seven states: Anambra, Enugu, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Niger, and Sokoto. Encompassing 194,426 square kilometers of land and a population of 32,121,944 people, the program has already achieved significant progress since its launch in March 2015.

Notably, the Productivity Enhancement Component of ATASP-1 focuses on developing the value chains of the mandate crops, namely Cassava, Rice, and Sorghum Value Chain.

The program has successfully contributed to the construction of various social and economic infrastructure, such as primary schools, community health centers, boreholes, hand pumps, VIP latrines, community markets, technology demonstration centers, feeder roads, and the rehabilitation of irrigation facilities.