As NALDA says programme to take-off soon

By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

The President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday, hailed Federal Government’s National Agricultural Land Development Authority NALDA, a back-to-farm initiative towards boosting food production and job creation for young Nigerians.

Lawan stated this during the courtesy visit of the Executive secretary/ CEO of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne at his office in NASS, Abuja.

According to him, members of NASS will sensitize, engage, and make their constituents understand and key into the NALD back-to-farm initiative.

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However, he (Lawal) urged the NALDA boss to see how to strategise and ensure farmers have access to the market to sell their produce, which will serve as a catalyst to boost productivity and performance of farmers and investors.

He also assured that his colleagues will be part of it and identify with the initiative as it will tackle hunger, unemployment, and wealth creation being a national programme cutting across the 774 local government areas of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.

Earlier speaking, the NALDA Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Prince Paul Ikonne, said President Muhammadu Buhari, with his passion for food security and job creation, restored NALDA and to make it one of the foremost agencies that would transform farming into a big business venture for millions of Nigerians in a short time with mechanism put in place to galvanize the agricultural sector and making it a sustainable business that would boost the economy.

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According to Ikonne now is the time for NASS to key into the Back-To-Farm initiative since they represent the people, and also use their position to facilitate land provision for the initiative across the 774 Local Government Areas.

He also disclosed that NALDA is set to engage all stakeholders in the pilot programme scheduled to begin soon, “farmlands across the nation will be prepared in clusters, cultivated using recent farm technologies and mid-wife in a sustainable manner by NALDA for the benefit of the growing Nigerian population.”

Vanguard