The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water, Environment, and Forest Resources, Danladi Adamu, has on Thursday, played host to the representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organisation
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that FAO is an agency of the United Nations, they are in Gombe State for a Needs Assessment under the fish for Africa,Caribbean, Pacific(Fish4ACP) project.
The project is funded by the European Union, BMZ which started since 2020 with about £2 million euros for participating states in Nigeria from each geopolitical zone and Gombe state has emerged as the beneficiary for the slot of the North-East.
Adamu while welcoming them to the ministry and Gombe State expressed delight for there timely visit as there are areas of collaboration that will benefit the state in the fish and aquaculture sector, “which will aid the advancement of food security and provide jobs for our teeming youths which is line with the aspirations of His Excellency Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya CON Administration,” he added.
In her remarks, Team Lead of the FAO, Aisha Ibrahim who gave an overview of the Fish4ACP project and what fish farmers tend to gain under the project which has to do with upgrading of cluster farms, training and capacity building for fish farmers, adding “to identify more areas of support for other donor partners to come in so that fish and aquaculture production in Gombe state will improve significantly.”
The team was also at the office of the Special Adviser Development Partners Coordination office, Dr Ishiyaku Babayo, who welcomed them warmly to Gombe State and expressed delight for their visit as it is timely stating “that Gombe State doors are open for development partners willing to bring development to Gombe State.”
Babayo urged the team to put forward additional requests of interest that they want the state government to partner with their agency for a holistic implementation of the Fish 4ACP project in Gombe State.
The Team thereafter proceeded to Waziri farm Clusters along Kalshingi road for assessment of farm clusters and interaction with farmers at the clusters.
The FAO Team lead expressed delight with what she saw as farmers in the cluster took her round their ponds to see the variety of fishes at their farms and the processes of how operations are done at the farm. Fish farmers at the cluster also expressed delight and hope for better intervention from the FAO that will boost their capacity in fish and aquaculture.
Director Fisheries Mr Micah Wayas Awak, other staff of the Directorate, officials of the Waziri farm cluster were with the team as they embarked on the assessment and interaction with the fish farmers.
Amos Pononyamba Fabulous
Information Officer
MOWE&FR.
