IFAD commences work on N800million projects for rice and cassava production in Benue

.The International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, has commenced construction work on the N800million, 35km rural roads and 309 hectares of farmland development in its Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, in parts of Benue state.

The projects which were located in Okpokwu, Guma, Logo and Gwer Local Government Areas, LGAs were spread across 14 council wards of the state.

Conducting the Benue State Commissioner for Agriculture round some of the project sites at Okpokwu and Gwer LGAs at the weekend, the State Programme Coordinator, Benue IFAD-VCDP, Mr. Emmanuel Igbaukum said when completed, the farmlands and roads would be dedicated to rice and cassava production.

"The roads and farmland developments are all IFAD-VCDP projects that would avail our farming clusters the needed access roads and farmland for rice and cassava production aside opening up the communities where they are located."

Igbaukum who disclosed that work on the projects were going on simultaneously in the benefitting 14 council wards of the state urged the communities to closely monitor the contractors with a view to ensuring that the projects were executed to the latter.

In his comment, the Commissioner, Mr, James Ambua charged the benefiting communities to ensure the safety of the personnel and machinery at the various sites.

Earlier, Chairman of the Agbangwe Ojapo farming cluster, Joseph Ameh called for sustained funding for the agricultural sectors to enable farmers produce enough food to feed the nation and for exports.