The federal government-assisted International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD)/Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), on Friday flagged off the distribution of farm inputs for dry season rice farming to cushion the effects of flooding in Taraba State.
Governor Darius Ishaku, in an address at the distribution of the inputs, said there was looming food insecurity as a result of the flood disaster that destroyed many rice farms in the state.
Ishaku , who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Dr David Ishaya Kasa, said that the IFAD support was coming to cushion the losses incurred by some farmers due to the flood disaster that affected many farmers across the state.
“Our administration would continue to create the enabling environment for IFAD-VCDP to thrive and to support genuine farmers in the state in its quest to put Taraba in its rightful place in the agricultural map of Nigeria.
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“Let me appeal to the benefitting farmers to use the inputs for the purpose intended because government will not take it lightly with any farmer caught diverting or selling the inputs.
“I commend the effort of the IFAD/VCDP for the input support, which has over the years enabled benefitting farmers to apply well researched technologies that have transformed rice and cassava farming in the state.” he said
Mr Irimiya Musa, the state coordinator of the IFAD/VCDP, in his address, said the programme was being implemented in eight local government areas of Taraba State – Ardo-Kola, Bali, Donga, Gassol, Jalingo, Karim Lamido, Takum and Wukari.
He said the essence of distributing the farm inputs was to support farmers in some of the participating local government areas to take advantage of the recent flood and embark more on rice production during the dry season.
Dr Fatima Aliyu, the national programme coordinator, represented by Mrs Ibe Carol, a staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, encouraged farmers to use the inputs to improve their farming activities.
The inputs distributed include improved rice seeds, chemicals and fertiliser.
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