Fadama threatens sanction against defaulters of MoU

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The National Coordinator, FADAMA III Additional Financing(AF) programme, Mr. Tayo Adewumi has threatened to sanction any state where there isdefault of Menoranda of understanding (MoUs) or a breach of guidelines, by withholding the disbursement meant for such state. The threat was issued at a technical meeting with agro-dealers, off-takers and officials in-charge of the programme from all participating states, held in Abuja.

Adewumi who spoke through Malam Lawan Balarabe said henceforth the MoUs signed between the Cluster Groups and other service providers like off takers and agro dealers should be legalized as it was done in Anambra and Lagos so as to make it actionable at a court of law in order to sanitize the system even with involvement of Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) officials against defaulters.

 This position was coming on the heels of stakeholders’ observations on the breach of MoUs guideline by the Production Groups (PG) and agro dealers on the one hand, and the same farmers with off takers on the other hands just as element of disconnect between the Cluster Groups (CG) and production groups were also pin pointed in some of the states.

An input dealer from Imo state, Dr. Edwin Uche set the ball rolling when he complained of farmers not respecting the MoUs for purchase of quality agro-inputs from agro companies recognized by the rules, but instead patronize the roadside stores for grains, due to price difference, pointed that this act has been on for while despite the effort of the National Fadama Coordinating Office to ensure compliance towards boosting the level of productivity across the country.

This report was outright breach of the objectives of the programme according to Mallam Balarabe who said the National office is against any action that would not comply with the laid down rules and principles of the project saying the MOUs should be legally solidified to be able to challenge any default with penalty, pointed that henceforth the National office would not disburse to any state found as non compliance to rules.

Since farmers were not invited into this meeting the outcome of the meeting is expected to be taken for further discussion in another meeting that will be scheduled where both the PG and PG will be invited for interface for better improvement of the Fadama programme in the country.

Earlier, Mr. Adewumi in his opening remark has called on seed producers to produce more quality seeds as he enjoined them to shun road side sellers and patronize certified agro-dealers only in order to boost food production, pointing out that seed security is food security and farmers across the 36 states of the Federation must cultivate the habit of using improved seeds for cultivation.

 He promised that the project would continue to support the agro-dealers for continuous production and distribution of improved seeds to farmers for increased earning and job creation that would enhance bargaining power of our beneficiaries and cluster groups.

He said the pragramme had now transformed into a movement with establishment of 30 Fadama Information Knowledge ( FIK) system centers’ across thirty state for efficient passage of relevant information across to various farmers, added work is on going to ensure it in the rest six states to make thirty six .

Adewumi said that the Fadama III AF which commenced in 4014 has positively impacted on the beneficiaries as the objectives of the project has almost been achieved saying “It will not have happened if not for the zeal, commitment and efforts of all partners and Nigerians as a whole. Many youths from different states have been trained and the FADAMA collaborators have been excellent. It was not there before, we started in hard way; it is getting smoother and it will last longer. We want the relationship we have built to last longer and be sustained; we promise to continue to support our poor farmers and put smiles on their faces’’

An off-taker from Abia State, Professor Chris Chinaka told Food Farm News that Fadama has been doing  well to combat the issue of food insecurity across his region, through the provision of necessary supports and assistance to farmers in the area of capacity building, adding  that the greatest investment that can be given to humanity is capacity building. He assured as an off-taker in the south east that his organization had the capacity to mop up all their produce.