National Telescope national telescope newspaper
Chibuzor Alli
Farmers engaged in dry season cultivation in Nasarawa State have expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for their support in providing essential farming inputs aimed at enhancing rice production in the region.
In a concerted effort to address the persistent challenges of rice shortages and boost food security, the Federal Government, in partnership with IFAD, has supplied several farmer organizations with necessary inputs across five of Nasarawa’s 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
During a field visit to the Dry Season Rice Farmlands in Lower Benue Phase One and the Rice Aggregation Center in Doma LGA on Wednesday, members of the Alekuwole Esewoga Cooperative Society shared their heartfelt gratitude for the empowerment received from the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, which has significantly increased their crop yields.
Yakubu Abubakar, the Chairman of the agricultural group, spoke to journalists and reflected on the previous challenges faced by farmers in the area.
He noted, “Before the coming of the VCDP to the state, there were complaints of rice shortage among farmer groups in the area, but the regular support from the programme had completely changed the narrative as farmers now have more than enough rice to eat and sell during the rainy and dry seasons.”
He further stated, “Presently, members of my group are operating in five hectares of land here in Doma LGA.
We now have enough rice both during the rainy and dry seasons. All these could not have been possible if not for the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, which has constantly given us the needed support to succeed.
We are grateful for the support thus far, and we want to assure them that on our own part as farmers in the five benefiting VCDP LGAs, we will continue to do our best to ensure that we have enough rice that will be able to serve the entire residents of the state.”
Dr. Eunice Adgidzi, the State Coordinator of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, emphasized that the initiative was designed to empower rice farmers, enabling them to produce sufficient food for the growing population in Nasarawa.
She highlighted that not only Doma, but also Lafia, Wamba, Nasarawa, and Karu are benefiting from their ongoing support aimed at strengthening food security within the state.
Dr. Adgidzi remarked, “Today, we brought stakeholders to see what we are doing. Yes, we interface with farmers regularly, but it is not enough. For us to succeed, we need the stakeholders’ support, so this is an opportunity for them to see what we have been doing in the state.
Here in Lower Benue phase one of Doma LGA, we have approximately 8 to 10 hectares of rice farms being cultivated, and we have farmers that are in other locations doing the dry season farming.”
She also mentioned the establishment of a modern Rice Aggregation Center in the Doma market, which aims to enhance the collection and processing of rice in the area.
“Food security is an important issue, and as we can see, there are still enough lands to be cultivated.
So, we want more persons, especially the youths to come and join us in our farming activities, so that together, we will work towards tackling hunger in the state.”
The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Umaru Tanko-Tunga, praised the Federal Government and IFAD for their ongoing support of dry season rice farmers.
He urged the beneficiary farmer organizations to remain committed to achieving food sufficiency in the state. Tanko-Tunga further reassured that the state government is dedicated to continuing its support for both the Federal Government and IFAD in ensuring the success of the Value Chain Development Programme in Nasarawa.
Chibuzor Alli
Farmers engaged in dry season cultivation in Nasarawa State have expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for their support in providing essential farming inputs aimed at enhancing rice production in the region.
In a concerted effort to address the persistent challenges of rice shortages and boost food security, the Federal Government, in partnership with IFAD, has supplied several farmer organizations with necessary inputs across five of Nasarawa’s 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
During a field visit to the Dry Season Rice Farmlands in Lower Benue Phase One and the Rice Aggregation Center in Doma LGA on Wednesday, members of the Alekuwole Esewoga Cooperative Society shared their heartfelt gratitude for the empowerment received from the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, which has significantly increased their crop yields.
Yakubu Abubakar, the Chairman of the agricultural group, spoke to journalists and reflected on the previous challenges faced by farmers in the area.
He noted, “Before the coming of the VCDP to the state, there were complaints of rice shortage among farmer groups in the area, but the regular support from the programme had completely changed the narrative as farmers now have more than enough rice to eat and sell during the rainy and dry seasons.”
He further stated, “Presently, members of my group are operating in five hectares of land here in Doma LGA.
We now have enough rice both during the rainy and dry seasons. All these could not have been possible if not for the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, which has constantly given us the needed support to succeed.
We are grateful for the support thus far, and we want to assure them that on our own part as farmers in the five benefiting VCDP LGAs, we will continue to do our best to ensure that we have enough rice that will be able to serve the entire residents of the state.”
Dr. Eunice Adgidzi, the State Coordinator of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, emphasized that the initiative was designed to empower rice farmers, enabling them to produce sufficient food for the growing population in Nasarawa.
She highlighted that not only Doma, but also Lafia, Wamba, Nasarawa, and Karu are benefiting from their ongoing support aimed at strengthening food security within the state.
Dr. Adgidzi remarked, “Today, we brought stakeholders to see what we are doing. Yes, we interface with farmers regularly, but it is not enough. For us to succeed, we need the stakeholders’ support, so this is an opportunity for them to see what we have been doing in the state.
Here in Lower Benue phase one of Doma LGA, we have approximately 8 to 10 hectares of rice farms being cultivated, and we have farmers that are in other locations doing the dry season farming.”
She also mentioned the establishment of a modern Rice Aggregation Center in the Doma market, which aims to enhance the collection and processing of rice in the area.
“Food security is an important issue, and as we can see, there are still enough lands to be cultivated.
So, we want more persons, especially the youths to come and join us in our farming activities, so that together, we will work towards tackling hunger in the state.”
The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Umaru Tanko-Tunga, praised the Federal Government and IFAD for their ongoing support of dry season rice farmers.
He urged the beneficiary farmer organizations to remain committed to achieving food sufficiency in the state. Tanko-Tunga further reassured that the state government is dedicated to continuing its support for both the Federal Government and IFAD in ensuring the success of the Value Chain Development Programme in Nasarawa.
