The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it is implementing programmes aimed at making agriculture attractive to the populace and investors, particularly in the areas of agricultural value chains development.
Alhaji Ishaq Sadeeq, the Acting Secretary, FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, said this at the opening of the 2nd Edition of the Agribusiness Innovation Conference and Expo, held on Tuesday, in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference is,” #End Hunger: “Building A National Resilience For Sustainable Food Security.”
He said that FCT administration was not just about infrastructural development only but the administration was also giving due attention to agricultural sector in order to meet needs of the growing population of FCT with food and nutrition.
Sadeeq said that the country is in dire need of the participation of key stakeholders in enhancing agribusiness for increased food security and employment along commodity value chains and agro-industrial development.
This, according to him, will enable the country earn foreign exchange and contribute to socio-economic development of the country.
“It is indeed heartwarming to see the high level of enthusiasm and willingness of the private sector business communities’ engagement with the FCT administration towards building a virile economic sector development.
”It is apparent however, that the solution to the challenges in the agricultural sector cannot be tackled by government alone.
”It is for this reason that the FCT Administration fully endorsed the collaboration with Messr Agribiz Innovation Ltd. in hosting 2nd AGRICON 2021 Conference and Expo in the FCT.
”The conference is a platform for sharing of experiences and innovations towards ending hunger and addressing other related societal vices,” he said.
NAN reports that Sadeeq is also the Director of Finance and Account of the secretariat.
He commended the FCT Minister of State FCT, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, for supporting the initiative by constituting the Ministerial Committee to work out the modalities for the partnership.
Also, Jason Fearneyhough, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture, Texas Department of Agriculture, said agriculture was highly important to the people of Texas.
” Agriculture is so important. It’s a growing industry. And that’s a thought, I know, but it truly is a growing industry, the population of this earth is growing immensely.
” The population of Nigeria is growing,the population in the United States growing as well so we need more and more food and more diverges to do.
” We have a variety of different things that we raise in Texas, cattle is number one, and cotton is number two so that 115 million dollars industry is about 40 per cent,” he said. (NAN)