The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has pledged to help farmers displaced by farmer-herder conflicts and land encroachment regain their livelihoods and improve food security.

The Executive Secretary of NALDA, Cornelius Adebayo, made this commitment during an interactive session with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.

He stated that the initiative would be achieved through the organisation’s project tagged ‘Renewed Hope Restoration’.

Adebayo revealed that over 3.5 million farmers have been displaced across the country as a result of conflicts, encroachment, and other security challenges.

He explained that, through the project, farmers would be grouped into clusters and provided with the necessary inputs, technologies, and support to boost production and increase their income.

“To address recurring farmer-herder conflicts, land encroachment, and security challenges, NALDA is introducing the Renewed Hope Farm Settlements, where smallholder farmers will be clustered in designated areas.

“These settlements will provide farmers with essential inputs, security, and training, while also reducing logistics and monitoring costs.

“By clustering farmers, we ensure their protection, enhance monitoring, and create a more structured agricultural system.   

“Our role at NALDA is not to cultivate but to facilitate an environment where agriculture thrives as a profitable business.

“The goal of the restoration project is to enable displaced individuals to thrive, not just survive.

“This initiative is expected to have a positive impact on the country’s food security and economy,” he said.

He added that the project could have a lasting impact on those affected by lowering production costs.

Adebayo, who identified the organisation’s main projects as four in total, said they were designed to boost food and aquaculture production, promote self-sufficiency, and reduce import costs.

He listed other projects, including greenhouse farming and the Aqua Hopeinitiative, among others.

The executive secretary also highlighted Nigeria’s deficit in food and fish supply.

“We are still importing over a million tonnes of fish annually while producing less than 300,000 tonnes.

“We aim to encourage women and youth in coastal and riverine areas to engage in aquaculture, particularly tilapia and catfish farming.

“NALDA will develop fish clusters featuring earth ponds, cage farms, processing centres, packaging hubs, and cold storage facilities.

“This model will create hundreds of entrepreneurs and enhance Nigeria’s capacity for fish export, reducing reliance on imported tilapia.

“Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom have limited arable land, and NALDA will expand its focus on aquaculture in those states”. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade