What is the full meaning of Fadama in Nigeria
Every now and then, you will hear someone talk about agriculture in Nigeria, and mention the word “Fadama”. People that are closely tied to the farming industry are probably familiar with this term, but what about the rest of us? If you’d like to learn the full meaning of Fadama in Nigeria, continue reading below!
Meaning of Fadama in Nigeria
When some people hear these letters strung together, their first reaction is to interpret this word as an abbreviation. Thus, they want to learn the full meaning of the acronym FADAMA. However, those people are in for a disappointment. Turns out, Fadama isn’t an acronym at all.
Interesting fact: If you like acronyms, then you might be interested in learning that there is one tied to the word Fadama – NFDO. It stands for National Fadama Development Office in Nigeria.
“So what is the full meaning of Fadama then?” you might ask. Well, the truth is that this word has no hidden meaning. Fadama is simply borrowed from the Hausa language. This word is loosely defined as “fertile or rich land.”
The full meaning of Fadama is “a land that is capable of being irrigated”. Usually, it refers to low-level plains located by water-bearing rocks, also known as aquifers. You can also identify a Fadama area because it has a tendency to get flooded during the rainy season. Fadama lands are also useful for supporting the lives of the wildlife that live in their vicinity.
Fadama Project
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In Nigerian agriculture, Fadama means the cultivation and farming of crops in irrigation conditions. It takes places only during the dry season because otherwise these lands can’t be accessed because of the floods.
To improve the state of the farming industry in the country, the Nigerian government has created the Fadama Project way back in 1993. As of 2017, the NFDO is in the process of implementing Fadama III, the third incarnation of this initiative. The primary goal of this project is to increase the harvest that farmers yield from their fields. The government also uses Fadama 3 to invest in better land and water resource management.
Interesting fact: The current budget of the Fadama III project stands at two hundred million dollars!
As a result of the Fadama operation, hundreds of farmers were able to grow from supporting only their family to competing in the regional market. According to the numbers projected by the government, this initiative will provide benefits to almost one and a half million of homes across Nigeria.
Now you can boast of knowing the full meaning of Fadama in Nigeria, both in the traditional sense and in the one adopted by our government. Be sure to share this newly-found knowledge with your friends!
READ ALSO: Irrigation farming in Nigeria
Source: Legit.ng
