By Yemi Olakitan
Farmers in Enugu have received rice farm inputs worth more than N25 million from the Federal Government and the Value Chain Development Program of the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
The inputs were given out during the start of the Agency’s distribution of agro-inputs for the dry season of 2022–2023 at the IFAD/VCDP office in Enugu.
The commodities include bags of rice seeds, bags of NPK fertilizer, bags of Indorama Urea fertilizer, and both selective and non-selective herbicides.
Others include rice planters and harvesters, water pumps, rice mills, de-stoning equipment, and equipment for processing cassava.
Dr. Fatima Aliyu, the national programme coordinator, addressed the farmers and stated that the program’s main focus was on the rural, impoverished farmers.
Aliyu, who was represented by Dr. Chyka Unamma, the Agricultural Production Adviser for the Value Chain Development Programme, thanked the farmers for their excitement for the initiative.
According to his studies, rice grows best during the dry season, therefore he added, “We support farmers in groups and not individually.”
He urged the IFAD-VCDP farmers in Enugu State to work harder and said that everything about the programme in Enugu State was a result of prayers being answered.
“We are responsible for everything related to rice and cassava, which is why the value chain concept was chosen; VCDP helps farmers with production, processing, and selling. Enugu continues to be one of the top states in which VCDP intervenes, but it needs to work more to win over more supporters.’’