The Acting National Project Coordinator for the Third National Fadama Development(FADAMA111) Project, Mr.Tayo Adewumi, yesterday disclosed that as at the end of August, the sum of N69.3 million was deposited in Fadama User Equity Fund Account (FUEFA), and assured that before the year ends, the fund would be? increased to N100 million.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja at a stakeholders’ forum, the coordinator said that under Fadama Component IV, the agency was having some challenges in terms of contributions and collaboration from States, revealing that the States were not forthcoming with payment of their counterpart funds.
He said: “We decided that instead of moving with 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), we agreed to start with two States per geographical zone, however we realised that we have some challenges in terms of contributions and collaborations from States. Component IV is counterpart dependent, the federal government is contributing 23 per cent, World Bank is giving 17 per cent making it 40 per cent and the States are contributing 60 per cent.”
The national coordinator hinted that selection was based on profile of the counterpart fund and the relationship with States in terms of activities on the field.
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To this end, Adewumi said that in Kebbi State, fadama has a value addition project of sarwa rice technology, adding that before, rice farmers got 2.5 metric tons per hectare, but under fadama sarwa rice technology as at last week, they harvested 7.2 metric tons with 2 extract which was 14.4 metric tons.
He noted that fadama has fitted into the transformation agenda of? President Goodluck Jonathan, and the national agricultural transformation agenda of the ministry of agriculture and rural development and its effort to increase the income of? rural farmers.
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