NAN-AE-5
Revolution
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, Oct.25, 2017 (NAN) Comprehensive Local Agricultural Plan (C-LAP) has unveiled its blueprint for agricultural revolution in the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Nigeria to boost farmers’ assess to facilities that aid agricultural production.
Dr Tanay Joshi, C-LAP Organising Secretary, unveiled the project at the first Annual International Seminar on C-LAP, organised by Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) on Thursday in Abuja.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that C-LAP is an integrated and participatory action plan formulated for the development of agriculture and allied sectors in the LGAs.
Joshi said that the project would add value to Nigeria’s agricultural raw materials, while integrating the country in the global agricultural markets.
He said that ALGON had initiated the planning processes of the project in the council areas across the country, with an emphasis on public- private sector participation and partnerships.
“The main thrust of the experts and policy makers of C-LAP is to consider agricultural growth as a tool for poverty reduction and the need to diversify agricultural production on the basis of geographical locations and commercialisation of agro-products.
“This plan will also create business opportunities for franchise operators, jobs for the youth and reduce wastage of agricultural produce, as there is a defined retail network to absorb production.
“It will empower farmers and agripreneurs through self-employment as an option for generating additional income and boosting full-fledged livelihood sustainability.
“C-LAP will create opportunities for private investors to invest in food chains and the business can be taken to the capital market in three to four years to make the local government a financially viable tier of government,’’ he said.
Joshi said that the bottom-up approach, which C-LAP adopted, was to eliminate hunger through agriculture policy reforms and initiatives that would assist small-scale farmers to achieve sustainable food production.
“C-LAP will be implemented in the 774 LGAs of Nigeria over an initial five-year period and under this project, the component of food security and livelihood enhancement has been given top priority.
“The project will intervene in all areas of agriculture in order to combat poverty and improve livelihoods across Nigeria and promote the nation’s food security.
“C-LAP will also improve access to markets through innovative value chain interventions, provision of technical services and physical infrastructure for improved market access.
“This innovative approach will involve the development of new technologies, market linkages, skills and products as well as the promotion of physical infrastructure for improved markets and sales,’’ he said.
Mr Itiako Ikpokpo, former Deputy National President of ALGON and current Delta State ALGON Chairman, said that the outgoing National Executive Council of ALGON initiated the programme to develop agriculture in the 774 LGAs.
“When C-LAP approached us and said it wanted to create an integrated plan to develop agriculture in all 774 LGAs; we felt it was wise and we accepted it.
“The project, apart from boosting food security, it will also create employment; we, therefore, decided to participate in it. We are sure that this programme will be particularly beneficial to the people in the rural areas.
“C-LAP is going to be an effective programme because its foundation is good and this has made us to key into it.
“We expect every local government chairman in the country to understand that his people need employment, stable income and food.
“Ours is to create a platform to facilitate the achievement of this expectation and this is what we have done.
“We have brought in people who want to develop agriculture, mechanise agriculture and bring agriculture to our doorstep; and we have done that for the benefit of our people,’’ he said. (NAN)
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