FADAMA III: C/River targets 6,000 hectares for cassava cultivation

CROSS River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Professor Anthony Eneji, has said that the state is targeting over 6,000 hectares for Cassava cultivation under the Fadama 111 Ad + project.

Eneji stated this during an assessment tour of Fadama 111 Ad+ Cassava project in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, by a team from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

He said this was part of the government’s determination to take agriculture to the next level through value chain.

‘’Our target is 6,000 hectares because we are the second largest producer of cassava in Nigeria.

“The land is there and we are ready to maximize the opportunity offered by the project to make Cross River great in cassava production’’ Eneji stated

He, however, appealed for the support and cooperation of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in achieving the target especially in the area of stumping and land clearing occasioned by difficult terrain in parts of the state.

Mr Appeh Auta, Senior Technical Adviser International Donor Partners to the Minister of Agriculture assured the commissioner of the Ministry’s readiness to support the state to realize the dream of Fadama 111 Ad+  in order to ensure food security in the country.

He said the team was in Cross River to get a firsthand knowledge of the implementation strategy of the state’s Fadama 111 Ad+ project.

He said: ‘’ Now that we have spoken with the Commissioner, we have heard about the problem of trumping and land clearing as well as other related issues.

‘’Assistance will be provided to the state to ensure that more people go into agriculture in the state, so that we can achieve the desired food sufficiency in the country.’

He described Fadama as one of the key components of the Ministry’s agenda for ensuring food security in the country because of its grassroots base.

‘’Fadama deals with people at the grassroots level in terms of mobilization of farmers, education and training of rural farmers and provision of input to farmers. It is part of the Ministry’s agenda to ensure food security in the country.’’

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