Agriculture
NO fewer than 360 communities in three states including Adamawa have been selected to benefit from a new carbon farming technique to be funded by MasterCard foundation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the carbon farming project, expected to cover approximately 36,000 hectares, which is for five years, will be carried out in Adamawa.
The carbon project is in collaboration with Sa’l Anwar’l Ju’Mal Consultaire Limited (SCL) project Juriya.
Speaking at the inauguration of the project on Monday in Yola, Dr Andrew Kwasari, Project Officer and Regenerative Agriculture Specialist, said that Adamawa, Kaduna and Nasarawa states had been selected for the project.
Kwasari said farmers in these states would thereafter own the farms after the initial demonstration.
According to Kwasari, carbon farming is a new farming technique that encompasses Integrated Crop Tree Livestock (ICTL) adoption and implementation.
He added that the technique also excluded the use of chemicals on farms.
According to him, some of the principles and practices of the carbon farming include sustainable land management, plant combination, integrated pest control, sustainable water management and livestock integration.
Kwasari noted that 24 field agents from Adamawa state had already been given one month training on how to effectively carry out the carbon farming.
He explained that each one of the farmers was expected to also `step down’ the knowledge to 200 small holder farmers.
“72,000 small holder households comprising of 75 per cent youths and 70 per cent has to be women.
“About 360 communities across the three states covering approximately 36,000 hectares will benefit from the exercise across the three states”, he said.
Prof. Ioryisa Verinumbe, a resource person and a Forester, noted that carbon farming was currently the farming system in vogue for its immeasurable benefits to the people.
He expressed optimism that farmers in the selected states would accept the practice because of its huge benefits and the absence of negative effect of chemicals to the soil
Earlier, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri assured SCL project of the state government’s needed support for successful implementation of the project in the state.
Represented his Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Umar Daware, the governor described the project as timely and would benefit a good number of farmers in the state.
“We are determined and ready to partner with you toward achieving the objective of the project in the state.
“Whatever support you need the door is open at all times”, he said.
According to him, 80 per cent of people in the state are engaged in one form of agricultural activities – crop production, livestock farming poultry production among others.(NAN)
E.C
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