Through the Value Chain Development Programme (FG/IFAD -VCDP), the Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development will implement climate adaptation techniques to decrease the future consequences of flooding on farmers.
Dr Fatima Aliyu, Acting National Programme Coordinator of the FGN IFAD-VCDP, said this in Jalingo during the distribution of Agro Inputs and Equipment to VCDP farmers in Taraba State affected by the 2022 flood.
Aliyu, represented by Dr Chima Unanema, Agricultural Production Advisor for IFAD, stated that the initiatives would include flood-tolerant rice varieties, climate-resilient infrastructure, and other climate-smart agricultural technology to reduce the impact of the flood on farmers.
She stated that the VCDP has reallocated funds and set aside N252 million to offer agro inputs and equipment to impacted farmers in order for them to engage in dry season farming.
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She said that IFAD had also approved N467 million to VCDP as support to farmers that had been affected by the flood.
“These are responses to the effects of floods and on an effort to provide succour to farmers across VCDP participating states.
The national coordinator said that nine states were participating in the VCDP programme namely, Benue, Taraba, Anambra and Ebonyi. Others include Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and Ogun states.
Mr Irimiya Musa, Taraba State Coordinator of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, previously stated that 238 VCDP farmers affected by the 2022 flood would benefit from the state’s Flood Recovery Support and Input Distribution for Dry Season Rice Production.
Ardokola, Jalingo, Wukari, Karim Lamido, Bali, Gassol, and Donga are among the eight participating local government areas in the state, according to Musa.
He explained that the scheme would benefit six of the state’s eight local government regions due to the impending devastation caused by the 2022 flood.
The state coordinator encouraged beneficiaries to take advantage of the leftover moisture, especially now that the storm had receded, by planting early and harvesting early, adding that Taraba was the second state among the nine participating states with the highest number of beneficiaries.
This story was adapted from EnviroNews.
