Farmers Association Partners with FG to Drive Ward Development Plan
By Patience Ikpeme
The Crop, Aquaculture, Livestock Farmers and Value Chain Economic Actors Association of Nigeria (CALFAN) has offered to collaborate with the Federal Government to speed up the implementation of the “Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme.”
During a meeting with the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, in Abuja on Wednesday, the association proposed to act as a field-level partner to ensure the project’s success at the grassroots.
Senator Bagudu explained that the programme, which was started by the President, aims to change how development is planned by focusing on economic activities within Nigeria’s 8,809 wards. He noted that the goal is to promote stronger cooperation between the federal, state, and local governments to ensure that progress reaches every community.
“The Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme aims to address this by concentrating development planning at the ward level, which is the lowest administrative unit in Nigeria’s governance structure,” the Minister said. He added that every ward in the country has its own unique strengths, describing them as “an acre of diamonds waiting to be uncovered.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Deborah Odoh, also spoke at the meeting, praising CALFAN for its dedication to the agricultural sector. She said that working with organised groups like CALFAN would help the government reach real farmers and producers more effectively, making sure that the support provided leads to more food and more jobs.
On his part, the National President of CALFAN, Mr. Aliyu Adulraheem, said that his group is ready to use its wide network and digital tools to help the government. He mentioned that the association has offices at the ward level and a digital platform that can identify those who need help and monitor development activities in real-time.
“As we launch this inaugural Clinic, our goal is to align innovation with integrity, growth with governance, and technology with trust,” the Minister noted, adding that the government remains open to working with professional groups to achieve the vision of a $1 trillion economy.
The meeting ended with a commitment from both sides to keep working together to ensure that the ward development plan brings real prosperity to people in every corner of Nigeria.
