Dry season rice farmers in Doma Local Government of Nasarawa State have attributed the bumpers recorded to the intervention by the Federal Government, International Fund for Agricultural Development – Value Chain Development Programme (FG/IFAD-VCDP).
Some of beneficiaries of the programme, who spoke during a field visit by the VCDP team and stakeholders on Thursday in Doma, said the interventions had changed their means of livelihood.
Mr Sanusi Abubakar, leader of the Alekwuole-Eseoga farmer group in Doma, said the VCDP introduced them to modern agronomic practices, provided them with improved seeds and inputs such as fertilizer, power tillers and water pumping machines.
“In the past, we usually harvest about 10 bags of rice from one hectre of farmland. However, with training on best agronomic practices and other intervention from VCDP, we now get about 50 bags of rice paddy from the same portion of farm,” he said.
He appreciate VCDP for the gesture and appealed for it to be extended to more farmers in order to enhance food security.
Mrs Victoria Ogoshi, leader VCDP women network, corroborated Abubakar’s position on the impact of VCDP on their livelihood.
Ogoshi noted that aside the improvement in rice production, the programme had impacted the people in the entire value chain with intervention in processing and provision of aggregation centre for storage.
She, however, appealed for more women and youths to be supported by the programme.
Also, Mr Ahmed Aseneshi, Chairman of Doma rice farmer cluster, appreciated VCDP for the construction of a rice aggregation centre for the farmers and processors.
According to Aseneshi, the centre has added value to their produce as they are able to harness their rice in a particular location, thereby creating easy access for marketing.
“The aggregation centre also provided us with the opportunity to store our rice for a long time in order to sell at a profitable price,” he said.
Aseneshi said the VCDP had trained them on how to run cooperative society effectively, which had boosted their means of livelihood.
Dr Eunice Adgidzi, State Programme Coordinator, FG/IFAD-VCDP, said the gesture was to support rice farmers to boost their capacities to produce more.
“Today, we brought stakeholders to see what we are doing. Yes, we interface with farmers regularly but it is not enough.ĥ 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.
“It is in line with ensuring food security in the state, that was why we also recently built a modern Rice Aggregation Centre inside the Doma market, to facilitate 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,” she said.
In his remarks, Mr Umaru Tanko-Tunga, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture, commended VCDP for supporting for supporting the dry season rice farmers.
He urged the benefiting farmer organisations not to relent in their quest of ensuring food sufficiency in the state.
Tanko-Tunga assured of the state government’s continued commitment to support FG/IFAD-VCDP and other agricultural interventions that would enhance food sufficiency and food security in the state.(www.krestnews.com).