By Stephen Adeleye.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through its Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), on Saturday commenced distribution of farm inputs to over 800 rural farmers in Kogi, to enhance productivity and ensure food security in the state.
Speaking at the flag off ceremony at Kungbani community in Lokoja, tagged: ”2021 Main Season Input Distribution”, Dr Stella Adejoh, Kogi State Coordinator for IFAD-VCDP Programme, said VCDP is enhancing rice and cassava value chains for sustainable agricultural transformation.
She added that VCDP’s mandate is to assist rural farmers to enhance their capacity, income and ensure food security through the production, processing and marketing.
She said the farm inputs was to help rural farmer to boost value chain production for maximum yield and ensure food security in Kogi state and in Nigeria as a whole.
According to her, not less than 800 farmers would receive inputs for wet season farming across the five VCDP LGAs in Kogi which include: Lokoja, Ajaokuta, Kabba/Bunu, Ibaji and Olamaboro LGAs.
She added that the VCDP had also distributed inputs to farmers’ organisations at Okumi during the dry season rice farming which boosted their production.
Adejoh noted that the inputs was strictly for rural farmers who has contributed 30 and 40 per cent of the total cost of inputs, while the VCDP would pay the remaining 70 and 60 per cent for men farmers, and women and youth farmers respectively.
She expressed her gratitude to His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, for his support and the prompt payment of the State’s counterpart fund, which had enabled farmers in the state to benefit from IFAD-VCDP programme.
In his remarks, the Kogi Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Apeh, who flagged off the inputs’ distribution, thanked the governor for paying all its counterparts funds for all impactful programmes and projects in the Agricultural sector.
Apeh, who was represented by Mr Okolo Ichaka, the Director, Agric Services at the ministry, commended the VCDP for the partnership in ensuring food security in Kogi State.
Apeh urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the inputs and not to be sold, so that it could achieved its intended purpose in boosting production.
Mr Sanni Muhammed, the Director International Corporation, Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planing, said the VCDP is adding value to agricultural chain which would help the country to achieve its set goals in the sector.
On his part, the Managing Director, Jufem Agro-Chemical Service Provider of the programme, Mr Adeyemi Olubunmi, said the inputs were carefully selected to boost the farmers yield at the end of harvesting season.
He stated that the choice of faro 44 variety was borne out of its ability to withstand flood, noting that NPK, Urea fertilizers and herbicides were provided to enhance the growth of their crop.
He, however, beneficiaries to apply the inputs according to instruction and timely to enable them get the best result.
Inputs distributed were: Herbicides, NPK and Urea fertilizers, certified rice seed, cassava sticks, among others. Two of the beneficiaries, Mr Mohammed Sule, and Mrs Martha Ochimana, both appreciated the VCDP and the State Government for the gesture, saying it would boost their farm produce.
They promised to make judicious of the farm inputs so as to achieve the IFAD/VCDP desire goals in promoting and ensuring food security in Kogi and Nigeria at large.
