The women farmers advancement network (WOFAN),ICON2 project has organized a two day technical session, on the draft agricultural extension service delivery revitalization bill.
Speaking at the event , the country project director WOFAN ICON2 Hajiya Salamatu Garba explained that, the project targets 10,000 Nigerians to increase food security.
She pointed out that, the network provides inputs and agricultural technology, works with 1,500 extension workers, who would work with 450 farmers in clusters to achieve the desired objectives.
Hajiya Salamatu, described extension workers as major catalysts to the development of the food sector, saying that, the bill would go a long way in boosting food sufficiency and providing job opportunities.
“We already have custodians of the bill and would work hand in hand with them to make sure the bill is passed”
The chairman Senate committee on agriculture, Senator Saliu Mustapha pointed out that, they would to everything possible to ensure speedy passage of the bill due to it’s importance.
He stressed that, the Senate would not relent in it’s efforts of passing laws, aimed at uplifting Nigeria to global standard through agriculture, health, education, economic policies among others.
The chairman house committee on agriculture, Alhaji Bello Ka’oje commended WOFAN for the initiative.
The session, was marked by panel discussion on the areas requiring attention of the proposed bill, and in-depth dialogue that examined key provisions and challenges of the draft bill.
The objective of the bill is to establish a sustainable, harmonized, pluralistic, demand-driven, ICT-enabled, and market-oriented national agricultural extension system for effective and efficient service delivery along agricultural value chains.
Reports indicate that, the two day technical session on the draft agricultural extension revitalization bill, attracted Senate and house of representative members, top government functionaries, representatives from the ministries of agriculture, budget and planning,media, ICT, legal and all relevant stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
