By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – FARMERS in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, under the auspices of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, weekend, disclosed push to have talks with the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to boost food production.

Speaking with Vanguard on efforts to reach Wike, the Chairman, AFAN, FCT Chapter, Dr Nkechi Okafor, said the farmers have written several times to meet with the Minister, but no feedback on their request.

Okafor said farmers and their leaders are frustrated over the way they have been treated, because they wanted to see how the FCT administration could partner with farmers in the six Area Councils with interventions to upscale food production that would lead to job creation for the youth and women in the FCT.

She said: “FCT farmers longed to have a rainy season farming launch because the dry season is almost going but unfortunately we don’t have funds to execute such a project because we don’t have sponsors and we have been trying to get in touch with the FCT Minister who is our own governor but it is very sad that all our letters don’t get positive attention.

“We can’t say whether the letters got to him or not because we have submitted letters several times without feedback.

“If there will be a way for us to get support we can still do the dry and raining season farmers inputs support the way we did last year but currently we don’t have funds for any projects.”

She further stated that, “We have not received any support and the dry season period is almost gone.

“We wrote a letter to FCTA Head of Service requesting for a courtesy visit to enable us to have physical discussions on the possible areas they can help FCT farmers.

“We are propagating cluster farming lands for each Area Council so that monitoring of some projects will be easier and so we can equally attract some help to FCT farmers but because our letters to the minister are also unattended, we have not had the opportunity to air out our needs to the hearing of the appropriate authorities.

“The other states AFAN chapters work with the governors but in FCT it has been difficult for us to access our governor which is the minister. It will be helpful if we can get an audience with the minister.”

Meanwhile, in their meeting held in Abuja, she explained that the AFAN FCT Chapter had its first quarter meeting at the weekend, and top of the agenda was to establish farmers’ processing centres in each of the Area Councils, and FCT farmers and investors’ interactive session to galvanize food production.

To accelerate farming activities in the FCT, she said only the farmers cannot achieve it, but needed the support of the FCT administration including the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and development partners.

“Part of our discussion was the issue of election as directed by the National Office to every State. It will happen soon.

“We equally rolled out the activities for the year and we are hoping to have FCT farmers and investors interactive session which we agreed to be held on May 19,2026”, she said.

According to her, other activities for the FCT AFAN is to pay courtesy visits to agencies, organizations, ministries and individuals to seek partnership, and also “to establish farmers’ processing centres in each of the Area Councils if we get the necessary funding and other interventions.”