Towards effective implementation of COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Project (NG-CARES) FADAMA RA 2 in Ogun State, implementing officers and facilitators have been told to strive and be committed towards the success of the project. 

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Dotun Sorunke made this known in Abeokuta, during an orientation programme organised for the officers, saying their involvement is a call to higher responsibility that should be result-oriented and delivered at the targeted time.

Sorunke stated that Ogun FADAMA-NG-CARES RA 2, comprises of four Disbursement Linked Indicators which are, Agricultural Inputs and Services, Labour Intensive Agricultural Infrastructure, Agricultural Assets for Production and Mitigating Food Loss and Waste, as well as Upgrading Wet Markets to Function Safety.

He added that NG-CARES team would work with rural farmers in each Local Government Area based on what they want, disclosing that within six months, Independent Verification Agent would assess what has been done in relation to the set target to ensure a "performance for result" operation, charging the participants to utilise the knowledge gained towards the success of the programme.

In her welcome address, the State Project Coordinator, Ogun NG-CARES FADAMA RA 2, Mrs. Solape Awe said the programme is a World Bank-assisted project that would be executed within two years, saying the intervention would be community-driven in the areas of crop production and livestock. 

According to her, cassava, rice, maize, vegetables are the commodities in crop production, while livestock comprises poultry, piggery, sheep and goat, as well as aquaculture, assuring that efforts would be made to avoid double-dipping among the benefiting communities.  

She added that the project is expected to reach out to 20,922 rural farmers who have been adversely affected by COVID-19 pandemic lockdown across the 20 Local Government Areas of the State, enjoined the implementing officers to mobilise and sensitise the rural farmers, as well as work harmoniously as the programme is billed for results.

In the same vein, Mrs. Awe has urged the Local FADAMA Desk Officers (LFDOs) in the Local Governments across the State to be dedicated to duties, saying OGUN CARES FADAMA-RA2 could not be implemented without the support of officers at the grassroots.

The Project Coordinator said this at a meeting with the officers in Abeokuta, maintaining that the palliative is meant to better the lots of smallholder farmers in the rural communities.

In his remark, the Director of Agriculture, Odeda Local Government, Mr. Oluwole Fateru appreciated Mrs. Awe for facilitating the meeting, promising unalloyed support from the local government officials towards a successful implementation of the programme in the State.