From Amarachi Egwu, Abakaliki
Not less than one hundred and sixty-six farmers in Ebonyi state weekend received farming input from the International Funds for Agricultural Development Value chain program (IFAD-VCDP).
The input is said to be palliative for farmers who were victims of flood but registered with IFAD-VCDP.
State Coordinator of IFAD- VCDP, Mr. Sunday Ituma disclosed this during the official flag-off of the input distribution to beneficiaries under the 2022 flood recovery strategy support grant in Abakaliki.
Items noted that the inputs which comprise Urea and NPK fertilizer, rice seedlings, and other agrochemicals are for dry-season farming.
He said, "Today is the official flag off of input distribution to our farmers that were profiled as a result of the last product of the event that happened across the country. The national program office was able to identify only a hundred and sixty-six farmers working with us in Ebonyi state.
"This was their official report because of constraints of the resources available.
These 166 farmers will be supported, and each of them will get 2 bags of urea, 4 bags of NPK, and 1 bag of rice seed. And in each of the groups that they are coming from, they will also get one water pump to assist them to do dry season rice production.
"It is important to say that this is a grant to the farmers that are getting it. It is a grant from the International Fund for Agricultural Development and also a palliative to help the farmers overcome the problems they encountered by the flood.
Mr. Ituma further advised the beneficiaries to make sure they use the inputs for dry-season farming.
"We want to use this opportunity to continue to encourage our farmers, the expectation is that they are going to use this for dry-season farming and so we want to encourage them to use the inputs solely for the purpose it was meant for.
"Our teams from the local government level will follow up with each of these farmers and the verification team is said to be coming here in early January. They are going to go to each of these farmers to ensure that they got this input, As farmers field, it will be a disservice to the state for any of the farmers not to use the inputs for what it is meant for.
The Acting National Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Dr. Fatima Aliyu represented by the Administrative Officer, Mr. Abraham Alhassan commiserated with the farmers and noted that a total of 1,495 farmers would be supported by the palliatives in the nine participating states of Anambra, Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, and Ogun.
“VCDP re-allocated funds and set aside N252 million to provide agro inputs and equipment to affected farmers, in executing dry season farming.
“IFAD approved an additional N467.8 million to the VCDP to further provide support to our farmers affected by the floods.
“This is in addition to the regular VCDP support given to farmers recently for the 2022 dry season farming.
The state commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Prof. Humphrey Nwaobashi appreciated IFAD-VCDP for its interventions with Ebonyi farmers. And also advised farmers to make good use of the palliatives.
“We advise the beneficiaries not to sell the items but utilize them for intended purposes.
Mrs. Oluchi Igwe, a Beneficiary, thanked IFAD-VCDP for the intervention and pledged to judiciously utilize the items.
