Writing by Ali Muhammad Rabi’u;Editing by Abubakar Hamza.
The Kwara State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (KWACReSAL) Project has advanced its partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) through a stakeholders’ engagement in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area to boast agricultural production.
Leading the KWACReSAL delegation to the community, the State Project Coordinator, Alhaji Shamsideen Aregbe,said the initiative is meant to commence the formation of Community Interest Groups (CIGs) for the implementation of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) and Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID) interventions.
He described Ijagbo as one of the pilot communities selected for the intervention under the ACReSAL-IITA collaboration aimed at strengthening farmers’ resilience to climate change through sustainable agricultural practices.
Aregbe explained that the engagement marks another milestone in the partnership between ACReSAL and IITA to promote sustainable agriculture through demonstration plots, farmer capacity building and the introduction of innovative climate-smart technologies that will improve productivity while conserving natural resources.
According to him, the intervention is designed to build agro-climatic resilience by equipping farmers, women, youths and other vulnerable groups with practical knowledge on climate-smart farming, as well as efficient water management and farmer-led irrigation systems that will improve food security and livelihoods.
He noted that Community Interest Groups would serve as the foundation for implementing the interventions, ensuring active participation in demonstrations, capacity-building programmes and the adoption of improved technologies.
He maintained that about 300 farmers in the Ijagbo community would benefit from specialised training, demonstration-based learning and free climate-smart seeds for priority crops such as maize, sorghum, cowpea and soybean.
Aregbe stressed that the training will be facilitated by experts from the National Agricultural Extension, Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS) Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, and other research institutions under the coordination of IITA.
The State Project Coordinator commended the continued support of the World Bank, the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) and the Kwara State Government under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for creating an enabling environment for the successful implementation of the programme.
He urged community members to embrace the initiative and ensure that the knowledge and technologies acquired are replicated across neighbouring communities.
In his remarks, the Onijagbo of Ijagbo, His Royal Majesty Oba Sharafudeen Babalola , pledged the full support of the traditional institution and the people of Ijagbo towards the successful implementation of the intervention.
For his part , the Agricultural Officer of KWACReSAL, Mrs. Khadijat Oke, sensitised community members on the formation of Community Interest Groups (CIGs), explaining that beneficiaries would be organised into groups based on the project’s focus areas to ensure effective coordination, specialised training and practical demonstrations.
She noted that each group would have clearly defined leadership and responsibilities to promote inclusiveness, accountability and active participation throughout the implementation process.
Mrs.Khadijat Oke encouraged farmers, women and youths to fully participate in the training and demonstration exercises, assuring them that the climate-smart technologies would enhance productivity and strengthen resilience to climate change.
