The National Assembly has expressed commitment to encourage Nigerians toward embracing Federal Government’s Back to Farm initiative.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan said in a statement issued Mr Tope Ojeme, head of communication at the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), when the organization paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Friday.
According to Lawan, the National Assembly will do everything within its powers to encourage constituents to take part in the laudable project, which would be driven by NALDA.
The statement also explained that the NALDA Boss, Mr Paul Ikonne, stated that time had come for Nigerians to regard farming as a sustainable business.
Ikonne said the project is part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to ensure diversification of the economy and job creation for the unemployed.
He appealed for the buy-in of the national assembly and their constituents by ensuring provision of land in all local government areas of the Federation.
He gave the assurance that NALDA will engage all stakeholders in the pilot programme scheduled to commence soon.
According to him, farm lands across the nation will be prepared in clusters, cultivated using recent farm technologies and monitored by NALDA for the benefit of Nigerians.
The Back-to-Farm initiative, known as Buhari Young Farmers Network, intends to start the pilot programme with 100 young Nigerians from each local government.
This is with a target of engaging 2,000 youths per local government in farming value chains before the end of 2021.
The Act establishing NALDA outlines the objectives to include providing strategic public support for land development.
It is also established to promote and support optimum utilisation of Nigeria’s rural land resources for accelerated production of food and fibre among others.
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