By: AUSTINE AGBO EMMANUEL, Kaduna
Following the need to access sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets the dietary needs of citizens, a non governmental organization (NGO), When In Need Foundation has donated seedlings to Southern Kaduna farmers.
The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, High Chief Chetachi Nwoga Ecton flagged off the distribution in Kwoi, on Saturday, explaining that the only way to fight hunger is to farm.
According to her, agriculture remains the major tool to tackle poverty, poor diet and economic challenges in contemporary society, adding that Nigeria will become a better place if they can embrace the practice of both subsistence and mechanized agriculture.
Chetachi further stressed that the gesture is a way of giving back to the society especially to the good people of Ham Chiefdoms, adding that she has done it in three other states.
She said, “It’s my little bit of good in the world to assist in the area of hunger and we have done this in three different states.
“The only way we can decrease hunger is to encourage local made goods. We cannot do everything but we can assist in every little ways possible.
“My advice to the farmers is very simple: they should just plant. The more you plant the more you have. If you eat all now, you lost all but if you plant, we can have enough tomorrow. Many chiefdoms will benefit from this intervention.”
The seedlings donated by the foundation include, 13-bags of 100kg rice, 33-bags 75kg of maize, 16-bags of 75kg soya beans, 9-bags of 75kg black and white beans, Okro 3-bags of 50kg, 2,800 tubers of yam and 30-bags of fertilizer.
Although the actual amount spent was not disclosed, however it can be deduced from the current market price that the project is worth millions of Naira.
In his remarks, the monarch of Jaba Chiefdom, Kpop Ham, Dr. Jonathan Danladi Gyet Maude (JP, OON) said Chetachi is a blessing to the world.
He stressed that he is not surprised at her gesture, because she is his favorite adopted seed and therefore, has no choice to do otherwise, but to imbibe the good culture and character of the Ham people.
He promised that his people will seize the golden opportunity to plant the seeds for both home consumption and commercial purposes, while assuring that the community will continue to embrace farming even as agriculture remains the panacea for sustainable growth and development.
Delivering a paper at the event on the topic, “The challenges of southern Kaduna and the need for intervention, the guest speaker, Prof. I. K. Auta said that lack of unity in the region is one of the weapons against the Ham people.
Prof. Auta who is also the acting President of the Southern Kaduna People’s Union, (SOKAPU) said that the Southern Kaduna people are strongly united in different states of the federation and in diaspora, but need to see themselves as one in Kaduna, their home state.
He stressed that overcoming the challenges posed on the region as a result of pursuing personal interest against general good of the people, will make it impossible for development to thrive in certain areas.
Other challenges highlighted by Auta includes, lack of mentorship for the younger generation, lost of cultural values and respect for tradition resulting to drug usage and other social vices among others.
