Farmers in four Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State have received inputs under the federal government Value Chain Development Programme for the 2023-2024 dry season rice production.
At the distribution of the farm inputs in Lafia the state capital, National Coordinator of the Value Chain Development Prigramme, Dr. Fatima Aliyu explained that the intervention was part of the drive towards achieving food security in the country.
Dr. Fatima Aliyu emphasized that the Value Chain Development Programme which is supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD had over the years, engaged farmers in training on modern ways of crop production especially rice and cassava.
She stated that considering the growing population in the country, the programme had continued to initiate more ways of crop production beyond complete reliance on wet season farming .
Dr Fatima Aliyu disclosed that the farm inputs distributed include 738 bags of fertilizers, 6.150 kilogramme bags of improved rice seeds and 246 liters of herbicides to 619 drawn from 48 farmer organizations in Lafia, Doma, Nasarawa and Karu Local Government Areas of the state.
State Coordinator of Value Chain Development Programme Dr. Eunice Kigbu urged the beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the inputs as according to her, measures had been put in place to check diversion of the facilities.
Also Speaking,Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mr. Abubakar Dan’ akano noted that the unwavering commitment of the federal government had strengthened the capacity of farmers along the rice and cassava value chains
Mr.Dan’akano pointed out that the interventions of the Value Chain Development Programme over the years had improved the livelihoods of small holders farmers and the economic base of the state.
Some of the beneficiaries Mr. Sabo Magani and Mrs. Liatu Paul said they were producing between eight and ten bags of rice on a piece of land but having keyed into the programme, they harvest between 25 and 30 bags on the same piece of land.