By Gabriel Ewepu and Favour Joseph, Abuja

AMIDST daunting challenges facing thrown up by devastating flood impact in the agricultural sector, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the British American Tobacco (Nigeria) Foundation, BATNF, Thursday, boosted Smallholder Irrigation Farmer Clusters in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, for all-year round agricultural activities.

Explaining why it became necessary for the empowerment of farmers, the Director of Federal Department of Agriculture,
Engr Abdullahi Abubakar, represented by Deputy Director, Irrigation Agriculture and Crop Development, Federal Department of Agriculture, Sugra Mahmood, in a keynote address at the handing over of the irrigation equipment to smallholder farmers in the Gwagwalada pointed that the empowerment was in collaboration with British American Tobacco Foundation aimed at supporting farmers.

Abubakar said: “The Ministry is promoting irrigation agriculture to enable year-round production in the country and also combat the effects of climate change.

“This empowerment which is in collaboration with British American Tobacco Foundation is aimed at supporting you the farmers with Irrigation equipment for the expansion of your farming activities.

“Therefore, I will call on you to make judicious use of the equipment that will be given to you today and ensure an improvement in your collective contribution to the National food basket.

“This is particularly paramount due to the lingering security challenges in the country, which has reduced food production in many areas especially in the North, thereby affecting the Food System in the country.

“Irrigation farming remains a viable way to increase food production through year-round farming and leveraging on the abundant water resources around us to cultivate Crops and produce food and earn livelihoods through many endeavors during the production cycle.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to supporting the agricultural sector, in order to realize its potential of driving an inclusive economic growth, achieving food and nutritional security and also creating job opportunities for the unemployed population.

“Therefore, may I use this opportunity to once again appreciate our partners- The British American Tobacco for the laudable gesture of supporting Small Holder Irrigation Farmers with Invaluable resource for their activities.”

The representative of BATNF, Sadiq Waziri, said, “We have seen the devastating effects of climate change everywhere, especially in Nigeria, which has ravaged over 70 per cent of the Nigerian population.

“Our effort bis geared towards climate change adaptation and mitigation. This aspect of pump distribution is supporting smallholder farmers to cope with climate change adaptation, and some times the impact of climate change we see rainfall over and also drought.

“We have to make deliberate attempt and create resilience in farmers to continue with agricultural activities which is irrigation farming.

Meanwhile, he assured farmers in other parts of the country of support from BATNF as it has kick started the intervention in FCT.