Posted by Farmers have been told by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development that infrastructure deployment and other climate-smart agricultural technologies will lessen the impact of future floods in the nation.
Dr. Fatima K. Aliyu, the national program coordinator for the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, made the announcement at the flag-off ceremony for the distribution of flood recovery input in the local government areas of Bida, Edati, Katcha, Mokwa, and Borgu in the state.
According to her, helping them will significantly lessen the negative effects of the floods and will help farmers recover from their losses and rebuild their livelihoods.
She claims that the VCDP reallocated the sum of N252 million to provide agro supplies and equipment to those impacted to carry out dry season farming and an additional N467,880 million to further support them in the nine participating states due to the consequences of floods faced by farmers in 2022.
The nine participating states would support a total of 1,495 farmers, according to Aliyu. This is in addition to the typical VCDP funding that farmers received a few weeks ago for growing during the dry season in 2022.
Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, and Taraba are among the states.
Dr. Matthew Ahmed, the program coordinator for the Niger State, had earlier stated that 236 farmers from five local government areas (LGAs)—Bida, Katcha, Mokwa, Edati, and Borgu—would get agriculture inputs and equipment to lessen their losses as a result of the state’s flooding.
“It is a rapid response to support them in view of the losses they sustained as a result of flood by VCDP,” he said to the farmers. These things are not for sale; instead, they will be given to farmers. Use them effectively to increase your harvest so that you and your families can live in better conditions. Don’t use your wealth to get additional spouses or do anything else that can cause issues in your personal lives.
Additionally, Dr. Mohammed Baiwa and Alh. Adamu Kpotun, who were speaking on behalf of the Bida and Katcha LGAs, respectively, expressed gratitude for the gesture and said that the VCDP has continued to support Niger State’s rice farmers and their needs in separate statements.
Responding on behalf of the recipients, Mrs. Elizabeth Mamuna Yisa thanked VCDP for providing the farm supplies and equipment and assured that they would utilize them wisely to lessen the pain brought on by the state’s flooding.
The expectation is that each of the 236 rice farmers will leave with four bags of NPK fertilizer, two bags of urea fertilizer, 40 kg of certified rice seeds, one litre each of selective and non-selective herbicide, and four bags of certified rice seeds.