FADAMA III: Rivers Coordinator Berates LGs On Participation

The Rivers State Project
Co-cordinator of FADAMA III, Mr Kingsley Amadi, has decried the low level of participation from local governments in the state in respect of funding of the project.
Amadi who spoke to our correspondent on Monday said the FADAMA III funds are closely monitored in order to ensure that farmers benefit directly.
According to him, the level of compliance from the LGAs has not been forthcoming when it has to do with fund release.
He explained that since the funds do not pass through the LGAs, they see it as not beneficial to them.
“You know, the LGAs will want money to pass through them. “The funds do not pass through them so they see it as not benefitting the individuals”, he said.
Speaking on the successes of FADAMA III since its inception, the project coordinator said farmers in the state were empowered through the project even as he revealed that FADAMA III officially ended in December 2013.
He said what was needed now was additional funding for other fadama projects.
Amadi said the additional financing was geared toward financing and supporting the agricultural value chain of the federal government under the auspices of present administration’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).
He explained that the programme was still under a tripartite arrangement between the World Bank, Federal Government and state governments.
According to him, once the state indicates interest to participate it would be allowed to do so continuously.

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