The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) are partnering on Alternative Development Project, an official disclosed on Thursday.
The NDLEA Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Oyo State, Jejelola Opeyemi, in a statement in Ibadan explained that this was in order to provide illicit drug growers with lawful livelihood.
Opeyemi said the NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd.), has in view of this sent 17 personnel from various fields of the Agency to IITA in Ibadan.
”They are there for a two-day study tour of the institute for the project between Tuesday and Wednesday.
“According to the NDLEA Team Lead/Project Coordinator, Dr Jonah Kolo, the project will protect the ecosystem from degradation, bring out illicit drug growers and provide them with licit alternative livelihoods,” he said.
Opeyemi went on to quote Kolo as saying: “Over the years, enforcement measures to tackle illicit drug cultivation have led to seizures and destructions of tonnes of assorted illicit drugs and cannabis plantations.
”But they have not been able to produce the much-desired results needed in curbing the menace of illicit drugs globally.
“This is why our Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd.), took a huge interest in using the Alternative Development Project initiative to change the narrative.
”It is a similar option he took in tackling youths-induced insecurity in Lagos State as a Military Administrator.”
Kolo added that NDLEA would provide alternatives in agriculture (plant and animal sectors), as well as the industrial, commercial and the entertainment sectors of the economy.
“We will start with the Crop Substitution Programme which will encourage illicit drug growers to abandon illicit crop plants and adopt legitimate crops of their choice.
”These are crops such as rice, cassava, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, pepper, plantain, bananas, cocoa, kola nuts, oil palm, tomatoes, and pepper,” he said.
Opeyemi, in the statement, also quoted Dr Kenton Dashiell, the IITA Deputy Director-General, Partnership for Delivery, commending the NDLEA for the partnership and for choosing IITA.
Dashiell assured the agency that the partnership would be productive and give new ideas and alternatives which would be beneficial to the farmers.
The Oyo State Commander of NDLEA, Olayinka Joe-Fadile, was also quoted as, on behalf of the NDLEA Chairman, thanking the IITA for the doors of opportunities.
Joe-Fadile said the project would benefit the agricultural landscape for Nigerians, especially the youths, interested researchers and potential farmers.