The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has commended Gov. Francise Nwifuru of Ebonyi for approving N100 million counterpart fund for the programme in the state.
The State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Mr Sunday Ituma, made the commendation on Monday during the launch of the 2023 wet season input distribution to farmers in Ebonyi.
Ituma described the governor’s swift response to the agency’s request for the payment as “unprecedented in the state’s history.
“This is the fastest approval to counterpart fund payment since the creation of the state.
“We will not disappoint the state in meeting its expectations of increased production in rice, cassava and provision of rural infrastructure, among others,” he said.
Ituma further said that the programme, being implemented in collaboration with the Federal Government, distributes farm inputs annually to farmers since its inception in 2015.
“We have been distributing inputs, such as rice seedlings, cassava cuttings, fertilizers and agro-chemicals, among others,” he said.
According to him, no fewer than 806 farmers will benefit from the input distribution this wet season
Ituma further said that the beneficiaries were expected to cultivate, at least, one hectare of farmland.
“The total investment of this support from IFAD-VCDP is about N173.8milion and we contribute 50 per cent of the intervention as grants to the beneficiaries,” Ituma said.
He said that benefiting rice farmers would receive four bags of NPK fertilizer brand, two bags of Urea brand, one bag of 40kg improved rice seedlings and agro chemicals.
“The benefiting cassava farmers will also receive the fertilizers, alongside 50 bundles of improved cassava cuttings,” Ituma said.
The National Programme Coordinator (NPC) of IFAD/VCDP, Dr Fatima Aliyu, said the programme engaged the International Fertilizer Development Centre for effective management and redemption of the inputs.
Aliyu, represented by the IFAD-VCDP Knowledge Management Communication Advisor, Mrs Vera Onyilo, urged the farmers to judiciously utilise the inputs in order for the state to achieve self-sufficiency in food production.
He furrher said that the VCDP would continue to support with extension services and monitoring the farmers progress to ensure better crop yield.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in the state, Mrs Nkechinyere Iyioku, commended IFAD-VCDP for contributing positively to agricultural development in Ebonyi.
“Gov. Nwifuru is desirous to make agriculture the mainstay of the state’s economy and IFAD-VCDP will continue being veritable partners,” Iyioku said.
Also, the IFAD-VCDP Agricultural Production Officer in the state, Mr Darlington Ongele, said that the utilisation of the inputs would be adequately monitored to ensure that it met the desired objectives.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goodwill messages were delivered on the occasion by the Ebonyi Agricultural Development Programme, Agro-dealers, among other stakeholders. (NAN)
