7,000 Benue farmers get IFAD support to boost rice and cassava production


Benue state government has stated that over 7,000 farmers are being supported in the state by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, Value Chain Development Programne VCDP, to boost rice and cassava production in the country.

The state Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr. James Anbua made this known yesterday at the IFAD-VCDP Commodity Alliance Forum for Farmers and Stakeholders in Makurdi.

Represented by his Director of Media, Mr. Ahangba Ayati, the Commissioner said "the government recently released N166million as counterpart fund to the programme to further support it success story."

In his remark, the IFAD-VCDP State Programme Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Igbaukum stated that beside availing farmers financial support, the programme had also exposed them to improved agronomy practice.

"The coming of IFAD-VCDP has also helped Benue farmers upscale their rice production from1.5million metric tonnes to over 5 million metric tonnes annually."

"We urge farmers and off takers alike to stick to the provision of the Memorandum Of Understanding, MOU, they entered into in order to sustain the success we have achieved so far in Benue state."


Earlier, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, representative, Mr. Sylvester Afenyi who said the partnership between the anchor borrowers, farmer and other stakeholders would be in cash and kind urged the farmers to make good used of it.

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