The Federal Government and International Fund For Agricultural Development, FGN/IFAD, Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, has recorded another great feat in Agriculture through the introduction of flood resistant Rice variety to reduce losses suffered by farmers during flooding.
It also included insurance cost as a prerequisite for the approval of business plans for benefiting farmers.
The National Programme Coordinator, FGN/IFAD VCDP, Dr Fatima Aliyu, announced these during a state level event in Awka.
The event titled “Knowledge Sharing” with theme, “Promoting collaboration among value chain actors”, had farmers, processors, off-takers, agro dealers and other stakeholders in attendance.
Dr. Aliyu, represented by the Knowledge Management and Communication Advisor, IFAD VCDP, Mrs. Vera Onyeaka-Onyilo, also announced a five million dollar grant for farmers across the nine participating state in Nigeria, to mitigate the impact of flood on farmers which according to her will span over one to two years starting from 2023.
The Programme Coordinator, FGN IFAD VCDP, Mr. Nnamdi Agwuncha, warned that henceforth, before any farmer’s business plan will be funded, there must be evidence of payment of insurance cover as all the farmers have been duly sensitized on the need.
Speaking on the success story of the FGN IFAD VCDP, Mr. Agwuncha disclosed that following funding of farmers and the best agronomic practices in Rice and Cassava farming bequeathed to them in the six years existence of the programme, they have tremendously increased their yields and parted ways with poverty.
In his remark, the Transition Committee Chairman, Anambra East Council Area, Dr. Anselm Onuorah, who defined the event as very important because of the agrarian nature of the local government area , disclosed that they are in post flood activities which according to him, covers free distribution of improved farm seedlings, agrochemicals, and sourcing of single digit interest loans for farmers.
During an interactive session on climate change effects on farmers, measures and way forward, one of the panellists and Branch Manager, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation,, Mrs Susan Agbalaonyenwife, affirmed that farmers that always insure their farms will never go out of business as they are committed to indemnifying those that suffered natural hazards.
On success stories by beneficiaries, Mrs. Ngozi Ebue, Mr. Fidelis Onyia, Chidi Okpala, Uju Nwankwor among others, lauded the FGN IFAD VCDP for making them entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
Cutting of success story Cake, award presentation to the NPC, FGN IFAD VCDP, Dr Aliyu, by beneficiaries and discussion on ways of promoting collaboration among value chain actors, the exit strategy, climaxed the knowledge sharing event.
Comments are closed for this post.