By Collins Nnabuife
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) have commenced the distribution of agro-inputs to farmers in some selected states in the country.
During the flag-off on Thursday in Kogi State, 560 Kogi farmers (197 male, 363 female) benefitted from the distribution of the inputs, while 398 farmers (183 male and 215 female) benefited in Niger State,
Recall that in early 2020, there was an outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which affected the world and disrupted farming activities and food systems.
To cushion the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on farmers, IFAD gave a grant tagged ‘Rural Poor Stimulus Facility’ (RPSF) to VCDP through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The grant is said to be for vulnerable farmers in VCDP states of Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Anambra, Benue, Niger, Taraba and Ebonyi to sustain production and help them recover more quickly from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the flag-off ceremony of distribution of rice production inputs to farmers under the IFAD Covid-19 pandemic RPSF grant, the acting National Program Coordinator of FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Program, Dr Fatima Aliyu, disclosed that 2,793 vulnerable farmers will receive agro-inputs to support their farming activities through RPSF programme.
