NALDA urges faith-based organizations to embrace FG’s back-to-farm programme
As Catholic Priest expresses readiness, offers land
By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja
The National Agricultural Land Development Agency, NALDA, on Tuesday, urged faith-based organizations to embrace Federal Government’s back-to-farm programme, a purposely designed mechanized agricultural programme for young people across the country.
The call was made by the Director-General, NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, during a courtesy visit to the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, Abia State, the Most Reverend Augustine Echema.
Ikonne said it is high time religious organizations key into the Federal Government’s agriculture and agribusiness programs under the back-to-farm scheme because it would tackle youth unemployment, restiveness, and bring about employment, empowerment, wealth creation and engagement of youth in meaningful and productive ventures.
READ ALSO: NALDA set to engage young people in mechanized agriculture, modern technology
According to him (Ikonne) NALDA has been strategically positioned as cardinal youth employment and food security programme that is equipped with all expected capacities to offer technical support, inputs, and other forms of assistance to effectively tackle hunger and ensure food sufficiency in the country.
He said: “Back-To-Farm is calling everybody to go back to farm. The days of oil have come and gone, and that is why we are inviting the church to go back to farm in order for NALDA to provide technical support like training, in terms of land clearing, farm inputs, to engage women in fish farming and roasting, youth in animal husbandry.
“As an authority, we are consulting all relevant institutions to engage and achieve Mr President’s directive that we must produce what we eat.”
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, Abia State, the Most Reverend Augustine Echema, expressed readiness and acceptance of the Catholic Church by keying the Federal Government’s Back-To-Farm programme, and also to be part of agricultural policies that are ongoing, with optimism that it will add value to the lives of the people.
READ ALSO: Back-to-Farm: NALDA set to train NYSC corps members in mechanized farming
The clergyman also disclosed that the Church had acquired large acres of land for farming, and added that if developed with the adoption of mechanized system of agriculture, it would put food on the tables of many Nigerians and reduce vices and insecurity.
“I think Mr. President has a wonderful idea about farming and here we have a lot of land wasting because they are not mechanized and we have offered our own, and it is a very big expanse of land”, he said.
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