FCTA engages farmers on Climate Smart Agriculture

Onome Amuge

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has launched a sensitisation programme on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) geared towards the integration of agricultural development, climate responsiveness and promotion of food productivity in the country.

Ibe Chukwuemeka, the acting secretary, FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, made the disclosure during an awareness exercise on the adaptation and building of resilient agricultural and food security systems held at the Sa’peyi of Garki palace, Abuja.

Commenting on the relevance of the programme, Chukwuemeka said the issue of climate change had become a global phenomenon worsened by poor agricultural practices such as burning fossil fuels, cutting of trees, among other human activities, adding that  these  ‘environmental-unfriendly’ practices cause enormous amounts of greenhouse gases to build up in the atmosphere.

“It is in this regard that the FCT administration directed that this sensitisation and awareness campaign be taken to all the 17 Chiefdoms of the FCT. This will enable the administration to educate the farmers and the general public on the adaptation and building of Resilient Agricultural and Food Security Systems, as well as the reduction of GHG emissions from Agricultural activities,’’ he noted.

The secretary further explained that the concept of climate-smart agriculture being promoted by the FCT administration was aimed at increasing food production.

He further averred that the promotion of resilient agricultural and food security systems will help to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural activities.

Also speaking at the event, Usman Nga’kupi, the Sa’peyi of Garki, emphasised the need for the FCT agriculture secretariat to establish a forestry guard to clamp down encroachment in the territory adding that any practice that can negatively impact the environment and farming is a threat to food productivity and should be debarred.