FG Reiterates Commitment to Sustainable Agricultural Sector

Arc. Sonny Echono

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to a sustainable agriculture sector that raises the incomes of the rural population Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Arc. Sonny Echono while, while underpinning the national economy.

This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of declaring open a staff training programme on innovative Collaboration for Development (CTA) in Abuja.

Echono said the ministry seeks through the training, to strengthen the staff capacity development and maintaining its online presence and relationship with the Nigerian public as well as play an effective role in influencing policy development processes and in supporting the development of effective value chains.

He declared that the ministry has through the use of ICT built a vibrant agriculture in Nigeria and cleaned decades of corruption in the fertilizer sector through the Electronic Wallet Scheme.

According to him, Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop the Electronic Wallet System through which farm inputs are delivered directly to farmers via electronic vouchers on their mobile phones, adding that within two years, the e-wallet system reached 6.4 million farmers and helped improve the food security of 30 million people.

The training on innovative Collaboration for Development was organised by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) of Netherlands in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

In its mission to advance food and nutritional security and increase prosperity, the CTA, has sought through the training, to empower and develop professional in the ministry to recognise the potential of Web 2.0 and social media in order to make innovative use of the tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the ministry’s team and enhance its image.

In a goodwill message at the programme, the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Professor Baba Yusuf Abubakar disclosed that CTA has a mandate to facilitate access to, and dissemination of information in the fields of agriculture and rural development in 78 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).

He said that in partnership with national institutions CTA organizes country specific training events known like Web 2.0 and social media learning opportunities like the one organised for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development