Anambra state will in less than one week, host the seventh mission of the Federal Government/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme.
The National Agric Production Officer, IFAD VCDP, Dr. Chyka Unamma announced this at a two-day training on flood control and climate smart agriculture organised by the state coordination office of IFAD VCDP in Awka.
Speaking after a field training at Ozi stream in Ufuma, Orumba North Council Area, Dr. Unamma revealed that plans are in top gear for the proper harnessing, dredging and re-channeling of the stream by IFAD VCDP national office to avoid further havoc it causes farmers when it over flows.
He said that now farmers have got grip of the principles of production, processing, marketing and very high off taking need, they are leaving no stone unturned in seeing that all challenges that will
deter them from reaching their full potential are addressed.
In a lecture titled, “Rice Fields: Floods and Control”, a Consultant from the Department of Agricultural and Bio-resources Engineering, Institute for Agric-Research, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Professor Henry Igbadun urged farmers to join communal efforts in re-channeling the stream to minimize its impact on their farm till permanent solution comes from the IFAD VCDP.
Professor Igbadun who advised them to use sandbags, drainage ditches within the field interconnected to main drain, contour bounds with ditches among numerous others in controlling flood said natural flood control measures should be their first line of action.
The State Irrigation Engineer, IFAD VCDP, Mr. Martins Ugochukwu said the training was aimed at nurturing their farmers on good knowledge of flood control and climate smart agriculture at local level to make sure that they know when to plant and harvest before flood comes.
The rice farmers at the Ozi stream axis Ufuma, however, appealed for early allocation of farm land to enable them start early, cultivate and harvest same before flood sets in.
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