OXFAM Earmarks EUR 10m to Revamp Taraba Agriculture
OXFAM International, a major nonprofit group with an extensive collection of operations said it has set aside Ten Million Euros to revamp the agricultural sector of the State.
Making the disclosure, at the Government House Jalingo, the acting country director Oxfam Nigeria, Mr Constant Tchona stated that the the funds would be expended in two phases with Five Million Euros set aside for the first phase while the other Five Million covers the second phase.
He further revealed that the project is targeted at Thirteen Thousand households in the three senatorial zones of the state.
According to Tchona, the project is a demonstrative action under a prosell scheme.
The scheme he said is targeted at small scale farmers, fishermen and livestock farmers.
“It is not a huge amount as you may know but we intend to help small scale farmers with farm inputs from developing stage through the harvest and market stages and ensuring good profit from sales”.
He commented Governor Ishaku for the tremendous work he has done in improving the agaric sector and ensuring food security in the state.
“We have seen your good work and we want you to know that we will be having an office here in the state and place our staff who will help in establishing what we want to do here so as to enhance the quality of agriculture and the sustainability of our services in the long run.”
Responding, Governor Ishaku thanked the team for the visit and promised to give them all the necessary support to ensure they carry out their mission effectively.
He disclosed that the huge investment his administration had made in the agricultural sector has created about Twenty Thousand jobs and has enabled the government to invest more in the sector to ensure food security for citizens.
The Governor added that the bureaucratic bottleneck hindering the take off of dominion farms had also been removed.
Speaking to journalist after the meeting with the Governor, the acting director revealed that the outcome was very positive and it would fast track the already established agricultural development strides of the Governor.
“We have already earmarked towns in the three senatorial zones of the state where we will be taking off from. Yorro and Zing in the North, Kurmi and Sardauna in the central while Takum and Wukari make up the southern zone”.