Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) on Tuesday distributed farm inputs to over 4000 farmers in Taraba State to boost cassava and rice farming in the state.
The programme, which is being implemented in six states of the federation is a tripartite arrangement between IFAD, the federal government and the states, and its being implemented in five local government areas of Taraba State.
Among the inputs distributed to the farmers by VCDP, which is being implemented in the state by the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources includes sprayers, fertilizers, power tillers and seedings.
Flaging off the distribution exercise which is meant for the 2018 wet season at Sunkani, headquarters of Ardo Kola local government area of the state, the state Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr David Kassa commended the success of VCDP since its inception in the state.
Kassa, noted the state government was committed to the growth and development of the programme in the state just as he pledged continuous support of the state government to the programme to guarantee food security and sufficiency.
The commissioner, who expressed the state government’s preparedness to ensure Nigeria emerges as one of the largest producers of rice in the world enjoined the beneficiaries to utilize the inputs effectively and for the purposes they were intended.
Also speaking, the VCDP State Coordinator, Mr Irimiya Musa expressed appreciation to the Taraba state government for the prompt payment of counterpart funds which according to him, had been responsible for the successes of the programme in the state.
The coordinator, who revealed that the programme has helped immensely to empower farmers in the state through the provision of needed inputs and infrastructure, further explained that the programme was aimed at equipping farmers to achieve better yields as well as explore better opportunities.
Stressing that the distribution of inputs was a routine exercise, Musa however warned the beneficiaries against selling the inputs but make judicious use of them to achieve bumper harvest.
The distribution exercise would be carried out in the five pilot local government areas of Wukari, Ardo-Kola, Gassol, Karim-Lamido and Takum.
