The International Fund for Agricultural Development assisted Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) in Niger state, North Central Nigeria, has provided inputs and implements worth N141.4 million in 2017, to participating farmers. The State Programme Coordinator (SPC), Dr Mathew Ahmed, made this known in an interview with Newsmen in Minna Niger state.
“The IFAD-VCDP has supported farmers in the state participating in the programme with farm inputs and implements worth N141.4 million,’’ he said. Ahmed said that the rice and cassava farmers received inputs such as MPK and urea fertiliser, herbicides and improved seedlings worth N132 million and equipment such as power tillers and de-stoners worth N4.8 million and N4.6 million respectively.
The coordinator also said that the project paid 50 percent of the cost of each input, while the farmers contributed 50 percent of input they received. He said that for the cost of the implements received by the farmers, the project paid 70 percent while the farmers paid the balance of 30 percent.
The Rural Institution and Gender Youth Mainstreaming Officer of the project, Hajiya Maimuna Ahmed, said that 13, 108 farmers in the state above the target 7, 500 have benefited from the gesture.
Ahmed said that Bida, Katcha, Kontagora, Shiroro and Wushishi Local Government areas of the state are participating in the programme.
She said that the VCDP was aimed at enhancing the incomes and food security of the farmers engaged in production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava.
The total cost of the programme is estimated at $105.9 million over a six-year duration, with IFAD giving out a loan of $75.4 million (71 percent of total cost) with additional $0.1 million as grant.
The balance of the financing would come from federal, state and local governments’ contributions as well as beneficiaries. The participating states in the IFAD-VCDP, which began in February 2015 and is expected to terminate in June 2020 are Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba.
