The Federal Government, in collaboration with the International Fund Development Programme, has distributed Agro Inputs and Equipment to 59 Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) rice farmers affected by flood disaster.
The Acting National Programme Coordinator (NPC) FGN/IFAD-VCDP, Dr. Fatima Aliu, who flagged off the distribution of Flood Recovery Input Support to VCDP rice farmers in Abeokuta, said the gesture was to cushion the devastating effect of floods to farmers and help them recoup their losses.
Aliu, who was represented by Mr Sunday Agama, Marketing Development officer in FGN/IFAD-VCDP, commiserated with the state government and people of Ogun, over farmers who had lost their lives, properties and livelihood to floods, saying that God will console them and restore all that have been lost.
She noted that in response to the effects of the flood and in an effort to provide succour to farmers across the state, VCDP reallocated funds and set aside N252 million to provide agro Inputs and equipment to the affected farmers to carry out dry season farming.
She added that IFAD also approved an additional N467.8 million to VCDP, to further provide support to farmers that have been affected by the floods.
“We are here today to support the farmers and what we are distributing are agro Inputs and water pumps to boost their dry season farming.
“We believe that this support by the FGN/IFAD-VCDP will go a long way in alleviating the adverse effects of the floods and assisting our farmers to recover from their losses and restore their livelihoods.
“Further to these supports, the VCDP will be deploying climate adaptation strategies such as flood tolerant, rice varieties, climate resilient infrastructures and other climate smart agric technologies to reduce the effects of future floods on our farmers,” she said.
Aliu, however, commended the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mahmood Abubakar, for his concern to farmers affected by flood, and also IFAD for its quest to improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers as well as the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, for his support and creating an enabling environment to VCDP.
She, thereafter, implored beneficiaries to make judicious use of the inputs.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, represented by Dr Dotun Sorunke, permanent Secretary, noted that the support was to ensure that the smallholder farmers are empowered and given back their livelihood after the flood disaster.
Odedina added that the grant was to ensure that farmers could go back to their farms, replant and be able to recover from the effect of the flood.
Sometimes in September and October when the flood occurred, some of our rice farmers were affected. cassava, fish, poultry and pig farmers suffered some losses during the flooding.
“Some of our rice farmers had already harvested their farms and they were trenching, when the flood came and swept all the products away, which means a lot of them have lost their livelihood for this current production by season.
“So the inputs support is specifically to do dry season farming that is why they are being supported with water pumps so that they can wet the lands all day round.
“I believe with the flood recovery strategy support grant, it will help the farmers to recoup their losses and also encourage them to boost production of rice in the state,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Bayo Adenekan, Senior Special Adviser to the governor on Development partners and coordination, commended the effort of FGN-IFAD VCDP, noting that the state government would continue to support farmers in the state to achieve the objective of the project.
Adenekan warned the farmers not to sell the input given to them, but rather utilise the inputs to achieve the best results in line with the objectives of the support.
The State Programme Coordinator, Mr Samuel Adeogun, disclosed that 59 VCDP rice farmers would be benefitting from the intervention at no cost, noting that each farmers would be supported with water pumps, fertilizer, rice seeds and herbicides which are worth over N200,000.
He added that beneficiaries were selected from three local government areas of the state that farmers were affected. They are Obafemi-Owode, Ifo and Yewa South local government areas.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Dr. Abati Samson Alani and Mrs Florence Ouewale Moshood thanked FGN-IFAD VCDP and the state government for their kind gesture to them, saying the support was amazing and would go a long way in their lives.
They, however, promised to make the best use of the inputs to boost their production and enhance food security.