The Kogi government, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development through its Value Chain Development Programme, has distributed farm inputs and cargo tricycles to 572 rice and cassava farmers.

Inaugurating the distribution in Lokoja on Tuesday, the commissioner for agriculture and food security, Timothy Ojomah, described the intervention as a major step towards strengthening food security, increasing agricultural productivity and promoting inclusive economic growth.

Mr Ojomah said the initiative reflected the commitment of Governor Ahmed Ododo’s administration to empowering farmers, improving rural livelihoods and driving sustainable agricultural development across the state.

He commended the governor for prioritising agriculture by promptly paying counterpart funds, describing the support as critical to the successful implementation of agricultural development programmes.

The commissioner also lauded IFAD-VCDP for improving farmers’ access to quality inputs, promoting climate-smart agriculture, strengthening farmer organisations and enhancing agricultural value chains.

According to him, beneficiaries received fertilisers, improved rice seeds and cargo tricycles to improve farm operations, reduce post-harvest losses and facilitate the transportation of farm produce to markets.

Mr Ojomah said President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda was receiving significant impetus in Kogi through Mr Ododo’s continued support for farmers at the grassroots to improve their livelihoods and food production.

He urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the inputs to increase yields, improve incomes and contribute to food security.

The national coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Fatima Aliyu, represented by her personal assistant, Hamza Shehu, said the distribution was another step towards boosting food production and ensuring food security across the country.

Ms Aliyu urged beneficiaries to make effective use of the farm inputs and cargo tricycles to achieve the objectives of the IFAD-VCDP in improving farmers’ welfare and promoting economic empowerment.

Earlier, the state programme coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Stella Adejoh, said the programme was designed to transform rural economies by providing smallholder farmers with quality inputs, improved technologies, mechanisation support and better market access.

Ms Adejoh disclosed that 7,575 farmers across the rice and cassava value chains were benefiting from IFAD-VCDP interventions in the five participating local government areas of Lokoja, Kabba-Bunu, Ibaji, Ajaokuta and Olamaboro.

She said the current wet season intervention targeted 572 farmers, comprising 285 cassava farmers and 287 rice farmers.

According to her, the cassava beneficiaries comprised 85 adult women, 124 adult men, 38 female youths and 38 male youths, while the rice farmers included 72 adult women, 45 adult men, 82 female youths and 88 male youths.

Ms Adejoh said cassava farmers received 540 litres of herbicides, 1,120 bags of NPK fertiliser and 14,000 bundles of improved cassava stems, while rice farmers received 520 litres of herbicides, 260 bags of certified rice seeds, 520 bags of urea fertiliser and 1,040 bags of NPK fertiliser.

She added that the programme also distributed 42 mini cargo tricycles and six heavy-duty cargo tricycles to facilitate produce aggregation, transportation and improved market access.

The coordinator urged beneficiaries to regard the items as productive assets rather than commodities for sale, stressing that proper utilisation would improve productivity, household incomes and rural prosperity.

The managing director of the Kogi Agricultural Development Project (ADP), Bello Ogirima, commended Mr Ododo for his unwavering commitment to agricultural development through sustained investment in extension services and food production.

Mr Ogirima described the Kogi ADP as the backbone of agricultural development in the state, noting that the IFAD-VCDP had made farming easier for beneficiaries. According to him, the programme has become a household name in Kogi, with communities across the state benefiting from its interventions.

(NAN)