FG inaugurates programme to promote rural development

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq has pledged to support and propagate the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, HiH in Nigeria.

The Minister made the remark at the Inauguration of the National Steering Committee for Food and Agriculture Organization FOA, Hand In Hand initiative held in Abuja on Monday.

Umar Farouq thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for fostering Agricultural transformation and Rural Development, while contributing to the extensive elimination of extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

“The Humanitarian and livelihood resilience track will support programme investment plans and interventions in territories at risk of facing shocks and crisis in the North-East, North-West and North-Central States to create, sustain and improve resilient livelihoods as well as to withstand shocks and crisis in focus areas within Nigeria.

“As we are aware, the Government of Nigeria is participating in the Hand-in-Hand initiative, a country owned and country led initiative, aimed at supporting agricultural transformation and rural development while building the resilience of vulnerable populations.

Inaugurating the committee, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar stated that the HiH programme is meant to practically facilitate and support the implementation of the framework of the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP 2022-2027) towards accelerating food systems transformation, promoting rapid rural development and building vulnerable population resilience across the country.

“The Hand in Hand Initiative takes cognizance of the country’s economic advantaged and disadvantaged areas in selecting the priority commodities for intervention in selected States”, he noted.

Dr. Abubakar charged members to recommit themselves to the task ahead by providing the needed leadership for the successful implementation of the programme in Nigeria.