No fewer than two hundred and sixty-two vulnerable farmers across the eight participating council areas in Anambra State have benefited from the free farm inputs, worth over twenty million naira by the FGN/IFAD VCDP.
The distribution exercise, which is under IFAD COVID-19 Rural Poor Stimulus Facility grant, was officially inaugurated for the eight participating council areas of Awka North, Anambra East and West, Orumba North and South, Ayamelum, Ihiala and Ogbaru.
Our Correspondent reports that the farm inputs, including Rice Seeds, MPK and Urea Fertilizers, selective and non-selective herbicides were aimed at cushioning the effects of COVID-19 on the beneficiaries.
Flagging off the exercise at Ohita Community in Ogbaru Local Government Area, the Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Foster Ihejiofor announced that from next year’s farming season, the state will no longer support farmers with fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and inorganic fertilizers as they will migrate to biological approach that recognizes the soil as a living organism that is full of Eno-living organism in their diverse activities that support the plant ecosystem.
Dr. Ihejiofor noted that under the health-conscious Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the state intends to mainstream regenerative agriculture that mimics nature, promotes bio- diversity in plants and micros, and encourages the symbiotic relationship between the microorganism in the soil and plants in order to maintain productivity to profitable levels.
The National Programme Coordinator, FGN/IFAD VCDP, Dr. Fatima Aliyu said the grant is to support vulnerable farmers in VCDP States to sustain production, enhance food security, and accelerate their recovery from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aliyu, represented by the Rural Infrastructure Engineer, FGN/IFAD VCDP, Engineer Felix Oibiokpa, assured that on receipt of the farm inputs, VCDP will also provide extension services to targeted farmers, who will also receive training on good agronomic practices on application of Fertilizers and agrochemicals, as well as farm management and climate smart agriculture.
The state Programme Coordinator, FGN/IFAD VCDP, Mr. Nnamdi Agwuncha, described the farm inputs as a fall back on COVID-19 effects on farmers.
In their separate speeches, the representative of the Acting Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area, Mr. Ifechukwu Aniegboka and the representative of the traditional ruler of Ohita Community, Dr. Ifeanyi Isimis, while describing Ohita as an agrarian community, lauded the FGN/IFAD VCDP for coming to their aid.
Also speaking, the Agro-dealer, Mr. Emma Obi called for early distribution of the farm inputs to farmers to encourage judicious use while some of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Agnes Nweke and Mr. Osita Elshaddai, promised judicious use of the inputs to achieve set targets.
