By Correspondent in Lokoja
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), through its Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), on Saturday boosted the agricultural sector of the state by commencing the distribution of farm inputs to over 800 rural farmers in Kogi, to enhance productivity and ensure food security in the area.
Speaking at the ceremony at Kungbani community in Lokoja, tagged: ”2021 Main Season Input Distribution”, Dr Stella Adejoh, Kogi State Coordinator for IFAD-VCDP Programme, said VCDP was enhancing rice and cassava value chains for sustainable agricultural transformation in the state.
She added that VCDP’s mandate “is to assist rural farmers enhance their capacity, income and ensure food security through the production, processing and marketing”.
Adejoh said the farm inputs were also meant to help rural farmers boost value chain production for maximum yield and ensure food security in Kogi state and in Nigeria as a whole.
According to her, the farmers selected would receive inputs for wet season farming across the five VCDP LGAs in the state: Lokoja, Ajaokuta, Kabba/Bunu, Ibaji and Olamaboro.
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 were strictly for rural farmers who had 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 gratitude to the Governor Yahaya Bello of the state,Alhaji Yahaya 6, 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 the counterparts funds for all impactful programmes and projects in the Agricultural sector.
Apeh, who was represented by Mr Okolo Ichaka, the Director, Agricultural Services in the ministry, commended the VCDP for the partnership in ensuring food security in the State.
Apeh urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the inputs, warning that the inputs were not meant and to be sold, for the programne to achieve its purpose in boosting production.
Mr Sanni Muhammed, the Director International Corporation, Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planing, said the VCDP was adding value to agricultural chain which helping Nigeria to achieve its set goals in agriculturalthe sector.
The Managing Director, Jufem Agro-Chemical Services, the 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 the crops.
He, however, advised beneficiaries to apply the inputs according to instruction and timely to enable them get the best result.
Our Correspondent reports that of the occasion was the distribution of Herbicides, NPK and Urea fertilizer, certified rice seed, cassava sticks, among others.
Two of the beneficiaries, Mr Mohammed Sule, and Mrs Martha Ochimana appreciated the VCDP and the State Government for the gesture, saying that it would boost their farm produce.
They promised to make judicious of the farm inputs to achieve the IFAD/VCDP desired goals in promoting and ensuring food security in Kogi state and Nigeria at large.
