Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Lawan Kolo Geidam, has called on residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to actively participate in tree planting initiatives as a crucial strategy to combat the effects of climate change.

Geidam made this call during a visit to the FCT Plant Nursery in Bwari, where he highlighted the pressing need to address the significant loss of tree covers resulting from rapid developmental activities in the FCT

In his words “Climate change has emerged as a global concern, with its detrimental effects being felt across the world. The FCT, like many other urban areas, has experienced the depletion of its green cover due to urbanization and developmental projects. The removal of trees not only contributes to the loss of biodiversity but also exacerbates climate change by intensifying the urban heat and negatively affecting vegetation.”

The visit to the plant Nursery which was in continuation of his familiarisation tour of Agric projects in the Federal Capital Territory also took the Secretary to Bwari Fish Farm Estate where he assured stakeholders that the project would receive full attention and support of the Administration. He emphasized the importance of engaging all allottees and addressing infrastructure needs to facilitate their activities.

“I can assure you that we will be giving attention to this Estate. We will as a strategy be engaging all the allottees while also addressing the issue of provision of infrastructure tenable the allottees conduct their activities with ease” Geidam stated.

At Gwagwalada Area Council, the Secretary inspected facilities at the Agric Central Store and Mechanical Workshop where he took the opportunity to assess the ongoing distribution of palliatives to FCT residents, pledging that the secretariat has taken adequate measures to ensure that the items reach the desired target.

At the mechanical workshop, he acknowledged the important role of technology in Agriculture, directing the Agric Services and Rural Development Department to come up with strategies that will make technology not only available but for the utilization of rural farmers. According to him,

“By embracing technological advancements, the FCT aims to improve agricultural productivity and meet the growing demand for food”.

Geidam also visited the FCT Agricultural Development Program (ADP) and Fadama offices, where he expressed satisfaction with the ongoing activities of the FCT Fadama CARES program which has over the past 1 year been able to provide support to over 4,000 households through the provision of various agricultural inputs. Geidam commended the efforts of the program in promoting sustainable agriculture and supporting local farmers.

Commenting on the ongoing ADP office complex, he expressed the readiness of the Administration for speedy completion of the project to provide a conducive working environment for Agric workers to deliver efficient extension services to FCT farmers.

Summing up his visit, Geidam highlighted the purpose of his tour, which was to conduct a firsthand assessment of the status of various agricultural projects. He reiterated the commitment of the FCT leadership under the Honourable Minister Barrister Nyesom Wike and Honourable Minister of State Dr Mariya Mahmoud to developing a comprehensive approach to address the challenges and achieve the set targets of sustainable food and nutrition security. Geidam emphasized the need for collaboration and strategic planning to ensure the success of these initiatives.