By; ABUBAKAR RABILU, Gombe
Over thirty six thousand farmers in Gombe State have benefited in the 3rd phase of the implementation of GO-CARES Programme by the Fadama Unit of the State Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, with improved agricultural inputs and assets.
The State Project Coordinator of Fadama, Dr Babayo Makka revealed this during the distribution of the items to the benefiting farmers at the premises of the Gombe State Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry l.
The Coordinator appreciated Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for prompt release of funds to delivery platforms and creating an enabling environment for the project to thrive, and described the Governor as very supportive.
“Out of the 36,300 beneficiaries, 31,000 farmers were supported with improved agricultural inputs of maize, agro-chemicals, fertilizers and poultry production, including food assistance of rice and noodles to improve on their livelihood” he said
Similarly, 2,800 poor and vulnerable farmers, including women and youth were supported with agricultural assets of water pumps, grinding machines and small ruminants to improve their capacity for food production and small scale primary processing to mitigate food loss and waste.
According to him, four culverts and eight earth dams were equally rehabilitated under the third phase of the programme, where 2,500 direct beneficiaries of the infrastructures were supported.
The beneficiaries who were full of excitement and appreciation over the gesture, promised to make judicious use of what they were given to recover from the impact of COVID-19 on their livelihoods’
The mandate of Fadama also known as Result Area 2 in the GO-CARES program aims to support Government interventions that mitigate the impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic on food security of the poor and vulnerable households and facilitate the safe functioning of food supply chains.
It would be recalled that different sets of farmers across the state, including women and youth benefitted from the first and second phases of the program where they received agricultural inputs and assets.
More farmers are expected to benefit in subsequent phases.
