5,000 poor Benue farmers get bailout.


MAKURDI............In an apparent move to support efforts to boost food production in the country, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, has approved a package of bailout for over 5,000 poor Benue farmers through the provision of free farming inputs, implements and developed farm land this farming season.

Leader of the IFAD-Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, visitation team to Benue state, Dr. Samuel Erami, made this known yesterday when he led his team on courtesy visit to Governor Samuel Ortom in Makurdi.

Erami stated that the IFAD-VCDP was an initiative to provide farmers platforms to improve on their annual yield in rice and cassava production and by so doing enhance their living condition.

He said the team was in the state to visit the 14 host communities of IFAD-VCDP in Okpokwu, Guma, Logo and Gwer Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state.

He lauded the Governor for keying into the programme by approving the release of N156million as the year's counterpart fund for the programme.

He said, "last year your administration approved the release of N87million counterpart fund and this year you have also approved another N166million for the programme, it clearly shows your committment to agricultural development in your state."

In his response, Governor Ortom assured the delegation of the administration's sustained support for the IFAD-VCDP and other development partners in the state. He suggested that the programme be extended to the 23 LGAs of the state.






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