Anambra State Agriculture Commissioner, Ihejiofor Asks FFBS Graduate Farmers To Sensitize Others On Regenerative Agriculture

Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Foster Ihejiofor, has charged the newly graduated farmers from the FGN IFAD VCDP Farmer Field Business Schools, FFBS, from across the eight participating council areas to sensitize and educate other farmers on the need to migrate to regenerative agriculture.

Dr. Ihejiofor, who gave the charge during an event at the Agricultural Development Programme, ADP, office at Awka, listed “I hear, I see, I do and I believe”, as the four principles of FFBS located at processing place, farming and market areas.

Addressing the graduands, the State Programme Coordinator, SPC, FGN IFAD VCDP, Mr. Nnamdi Agwuncha opined that the Farmer Field Business School was established to among other things, sharpen the farmer’s ability to make critical and informed decision which render their activities profitable and sustainable.

While describing the school as one of their sustainability strategies and extension measures to sustain the farmers when IFAD stops its funding, Mr. Agwuncha noted that a typical Farmer Field Business School, has about twenty-five to thirty farmers, who on graduation, are better equipped with solid management and decision-making skills.

He explained that Farmer Field Business School, is monitored by farmers through the use of Agro-Ecosystem Analysis, where they observe, take reading, tabulate and analyze the tabulated materials to proffer solutions and take informed decisions.

Contributing, the state Agric Production Officer, FGN IFAD VCDP, Mr. Emmanuel Chukwukwelu explained that Farmer Field Business School is composed of group of farmers with common interest, who meet regularly, especially during the season, to experiment with new production, processing and marketing options.

For some of the graduands, including Mrs. Beatrice Okoye, a Rice farmer from Igbakwu, Ayamelum Council Area and Mr. Chidi Okpala, a Cassava farmer from Awgbu, Orumba North Council Area, the benefits of Farmer Field Business School are immeasurable starting from its practical, capacity building to high yield and market linkages among others.

Farmer Field Business School, which originated in Indonesia, was introduced in Nigeria by the National Programme for Food Security, NPFS, in 2004 and has succeeded in changing the traditional “Top-Bottom approach to “Bottom Top approach that enhances the learning ability of farmers.