The World Bank has said that it was working on a Central Pivot System (CPS) in Lagos under the FADAMA III (Additional Financing) project to promote irrigation and sustainable farming.
The CPS of FADAMA III (AF) is a method of crop irrigation in which equipment rotates around a pivot and crops are watered with sprinklers.
The bank’s Tasking Leader to Lagos State, Dr Adetunji Oredipe who made the disclosure in an interview on Monday in Lagos, spoke against the backdrop of the 9th Joint World Bank/Federal Government Implementation Support Mission to the state.
He said that the challenge to the full running of the CPS was lack of energy.
“Of course, we are working on Central Pivot System on different locations in Lagos and these are big investments and it requires support of a good power source. These are issues that we are dealing with now, to ensure that the CPS are running and to run them in a sustainable way.
“We are supporting our farmers to be able to take charge after we leave this system once the project closes because farmers will remain in the field. With the way we are going, I am convinced that our federated association will be able to take charge beyond the project’s duration,’’ he said.
Oredipe also said that the mission was to appraise the activities of the state FADAMA and to address areas where they had shortfalls.
According to him, every project should be able to address sustainability after its duration.
He commended the project coordinator for the request for bid put before the Lagos State Government for the establishment of three food markets.
“For every project embarked upon, one must care about sustainability to sustain FADAMA interventions and the continuous existence of the market. We have agreed to site food markets at three locations and we have given them eight months within which to complete all three markets.
“The locations has been picked which includes Ogba, Ajeronmi-Ifelodun and one other, we have people on ground who will be operating the markets. The other issue we are putting to Lagos is for the government to ensure the completion of some of the irrigation facilities which we started a couple of months ago,’’ he said.
According to Oredipe, Lagos FADAMA is doing well in facts and figures and are doing the right thing not about getting results but getting an even better result.
Team Leader of the Lagos State FADAMA Mission, Mrs Caroline Afolami said that the project was earnestly working towards sustainability to manage food security.
“Nigeria has a lot of challenges, especially regarding food security, employment generation and nutrition for the youth.
“This project has squarely addressed all these challenges through the rice processing chain. The participants are encouraged to make a livelihood in the entire length of the value chain development.
“Sustainability as regards to FADAMA III project will continue, not just because the funds are not coming in then the project should come to a close. So, it is part of what we discussed to fashion out how the project will remain relevant. To this end, we are coming up with farmers’ markets. Once that is in place, it will ensure that we can fall back on something to keep the project active and productive,’’ she said.
The State Project Coordinator, Mr Jonathan Obayemi said the mission was an opportunity to showcase the state’s achievements.
He also revealed that the intervention of the project, especially in the section of its value crop (rice) was able to contribute 3,623 metric tonnes of rice to the Lagos State Government.
“The mission will put us on the right tract and solve some of our challenges as we move on. Mission is very important in the project. In Lagos, FADAMA as a project is making resounding contribution to almost all the sector because we are working to improve productivity of rice.
“In 2017, FADAMA contributed 3,623 metric tonnes of local rice to the food basket of Lagos; we have been able to track 3,901 direct jobs and empowered 1,309 households. FADAMA is environment conscious; we distribute safety kits to beneficiaries and added 13km to the road infrastructure in Lagos and promoting nutrition sensitive education. We have also been able to deliver 15 home gardens to vulnerable women,’’ he said.
One of the beneficiaries and Women Leader of FADAMA III (AF), Mrs Aminat Shabi said that she was happy with the mission’s visit which keeps the farmer aware that there were watch dogs.
“It is a wonderful programmes in the state and it allows for checks and balances. It is also an opportunity to make farmers aware that there is a watch dog somewhere to monitor their activities,’’ she said.
She, on behalf of other beneficiaries thanked the World Bank for ensure that the project did not come short of expectations.
According to Shabi, the farm access roads, processing centers for cassava and fish are much appreciated by the farmers.
Lagos State FADAMA Coordination Office presented a progress report at the 9th World Bank and Federal Government Joint Implementation Support Mission.
The mission visited Gov. Akinwumi Ambode and the ministry for Agriculture and also made field visits to beneficiary communities.
