FADAMA III programme executes 5 irrigation projects in Anambra
Project Coordinator, FADAMA III Additional Financing (AF) programme in Anambra State, Mr. Chucks Egbueh, has said that the programme is executing five irrigation projects across the state.
Egbueh said this in an interview with newsmen in Awka, adding that the projects were currently at various stages of completion.
He said that that the programme was also constructing not less than 45 kilometres of roads to open up various farming communities.
He said that the irrigation and road projects were some of the projects which the FADAMA programme was implementing to support all-year farming in the state.
According to him, the irrigation works include those in Ifite-Iguari, Ihiala 1 and Ihiala 2 and Ogbaru as well as the Central Pivot Irrigation Scheme in Ogborji.
Egbueh said that some projects had reached different stages of completion, while others were awaiting inauguration.
The coordinator said the FADAMA III AF programme was also developing about 50 farming clusters, with mini irrigation schemes across the state.
He also said that no fewer than 3,000 agric-entrepreneurs had been created in Anambra under FADAMA III AF programme, adding that the target of creating over 5,000 agric-entrepreneurs was realistic.
Egbueh said the 250 beneficiaries of the recently concluded FADAMA Graduate Unemployment Youth Support Scheme (FADAMA GUYS) training had been registered in the E-control Centre of the state Ministry of Agriculture for post-empowerment support.
He said that the FADAMA programme, by its nature of operations, was determined to address joblessness among the youth and regenerate the farming population which, he said, was already ageing.
Egbueh commended the state Govwenor, Chief Willie Obiano, for his commitment to the project through the prompt payment of counterpart funds, adding that the commitment had earned the state the best rating in agriculture.
He stressed that food would be more available and affordable to the citizens if other states could show similar commitment to empowering the youth and growing the agricultural sector.
