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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has organised a one-day consultative forum to sensitise and address practical gaps in agricultural extension service delivery toward improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers to boast food production.
Programme Manager, Chinedu Obasi made the disclosure on Tuesday during the consultative forum at the Nasarawa Luxury Hotel, Shandam Road Lafia, saying CISLAC is in collaboration with Olams and Nasarawa the ministry of Agric to know the plight of farmers towards fostering solutions on areas to assist.
Mr Chinedu said that Nasarawa and Bauchi States are the two states chosen to benefit from CISLAC support in the area of agriculture because of their agricultural endowment.
“Agriculture is one of the sectors that can generate job opportunities for people at the grassroots, particularly for women and the youths.
“CISLAC is in the state to provide support to enhance agricultural activities that will reduce poverty and inequality in reflection of its core mandate.
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“This forum is organised to bridge the gap by helping the rural dwellers to connect with government policies and implementations.
Also speaking, the programme manager, Nasarawa state Agricultural development programme, NADP, Mr Emmanuel Alanana stressed that the programme is timely and it represents the true picture of what is affecting farmers in the state.
He said the programme would go a long way in describing areas that needed to be fixed to allow small-scale farmers to develop their farms towards adding value to food production in the state and country at large.
He further appreciated CISLAC for providing the opportunity towards ensuring that farmers’ welfare and food sufficiency are sustained in the state while urging them to ensure more advocacy on the need to support farmers.
In an interview with some participants, Mrs Rother Davies and Mrs Grace Mathew Said the one-day workshop had exposed them to know how, and when to seek support from the government and also an avenue to highlight their challenges in the cause of farming.
Seriously, I want to thank CISLAC for this kind of forum, because we now understand better how to promote our farming activities and where to seek help when needed.
