Flood: IFAD commences distribution of input for dry season rice farming in Taraba.
Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The federal government assisted, International Fund for Agriculture Development IFAD/ Value Chain Development programme (VCDP), on Friday flagged off the distribution of farm inputs for dry season rice farming to cushion the effects of flooding in Taraba state.
They also distributed starter kits to selected women who were trained in various entrepreneur skills.
The state Governor Darius Ishaku who was represented by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. David Ishaya Kasa expressed said that the IFAD support was coming to cushion the losses incurred by some farmers due to flood in the wet season production.
Ishaku warned that the state government will not take it lightly with any farmer caught diverting or reselling the inputs.
“Our administration would continue to create the enabling environment for IFAD-VCDP to thrive and to support genuine farmers in the State in its quest to put Taraba in its rightful place in the agricultural map of Nigeria.
“Let me appeal to benefitting farmers to use the inputs for the purpose intended because, government will not take it lightly with any farmer caught diverting or reselling the inputs. I commend the effort of IFAD/VCDP for the input support which has over the years enabled benefitting farmers to apply well researched technologies that has transformed the rice and cassava farming in the State.
“This has brougnt increased income and improved standard of living for the farmers as well as food security to the State and larger society” Ishaku said.
Mr. Irimiya Musa, the program state coordinator in his welcome address noted that, IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD/VCDP) is implemented in Nine states of Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun Taraba, Enugu, Nasarawa and Kogi with the mandate of developing the value chains of cassava and rice.
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According to him, the programme was being implemented in 8 LGAs of Ardo-Kola, Bali, Donga, Gassol, Jalingo, Karim Lamido, Takum Wukari and that the essence of the occasion was to support farmers in Some of the participating LGAs to take advantage of the recent flood in the areas.
Irimiya also disclosed that the programme aside the support in the areas of input and infrastructure, also build the capacity of the women for making more income along the value chains of rice and cassava, hence the distribution of starter parks for another set of women trained in the
production of nutrient dense recipes (confectioneries- cassava/Rice cakes, chin-chin, etc).
The programme coordinator noted that the activities were in pursuance of the programme’s development objective, which is, to enhance on a sustainable basis, increase in incomes and food security of poor rural households to engaged in production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the programme areas.
Meanwhile Dr. Fatima Aliyu the national program coordinator, represented by Mrs. Ibe Carol a staff of federal ministry of agriculture and natural resources, encouraged farmers to use the input for the purpose intended for.
