Speaking at the training centre on Friday in Lokoja, the State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Dr Stella Adejoh, said the training was to sensitise the paeticipants on VCDP activities and make them realise the need to give appropriate support to Kogi rural farmers.

She noted that the VCDP engaged consultants who were in Kogi last week to conduct a need assessment for the financial institutions to be able to see the gaps in understanding as well as the implementation.

She said the gaps had been identified hence the need to bring the financial institutions together to discuss on those gaps and to also build their capacity in the area of agricultural financing to give support to rural farmers in the state.

She expressed optimism that the training would enlighten the financial institutions to be fully ready to provide financial support to rural farmers under the VCDP in the state.

Dr Adejoh emphasised that the training would increase farmers access especially women and youth to financial services as well as providing insurance cover for them.

She disclosed that over 1000 rural farmers had been profiled across the five benefitting local government areas in Kogi, being supported on demand driven basis.

According to her, the goal and objectives of VDCP is to reduce rural poverty, increase food security and accelerate economic growth on a sustainable basis.

She stressed that the incomes and food security of poor rural households engaged in production, processing and marketing for rice and cassava in the targeted Local Government Areas (LGAs) would be enhanced on a sustainable basis.

She urged the participants to pay rapt attention in order to increase their skills on how to relate with farmers in providing support, and in recovering of loans given to farmers.

Also speaking, Mr Ariyo Olanrewaju, a Consultant to IFAD-VCDP Kogi, said the training was on technical assistance to financial institutions that offer services to VCDP beneficiaries in Kogi.

”One of the things we want to show the financial institutions during the training is for them to see that agric is now a business.

”The goal of financial institutions is to make profit, so if they see that agric is a business, and we also offer them the technical support to manage the risk in agriculture, they will be willing to give loans to the farmers,” he said

He said the training would go a long way in ensuring that rural farmers have easy access to loans from financial institutions as the identified knowledge gap would have been addressed.

On his part, Mr Reuben Joshua, Rural Finance Officer, IFAD-VCDP Kogi, said the training would ensure financial inclusiveness of farmers benefitting from the program and bridge the gap.

Joshua added that the farmers would enjoy various financial services being render by the financial institutions in terms of credit facility which had been a challenge.

He advised the participants to pay rapt attention to the training so that the financial institutions would be on the same page with the IFAD-VCDP for mutual benefits.

Two of the participants, Rose Adejoh from Sterling Bank; and Ehimaiye from FCMB, assured the readiness of their various financial institutions to assist farmers to get easy access loan.

Adejoh stressed that IFAD-VCDP platform would give comfort to the banks which would make it easier for the rural farmers to get their financial support.

Ehimaiye said that the training would bridge the knowledge gap between the financial institutions and the farmers.

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No fewer than 210 vulnerable women farmers, widows, petty traders and women with disabilities have been empowered with cash and agricultural items across the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State.

The State Governor, Alh. Yahaya Bello, who flagged off the distribution on Thursday in Lokoja, said the gesture was the efforts of Federal Government in collaboration with State Government to eliminate poverty and hunger among the women folks and uplift their livelihood.

The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Edward Onoja, added that the initiative would improve the lives of the beneficiaries to enable them contribute their quotas to the economy of the state and the country at large.

He advised the women leader to distribute the items judiciously inline with his policy of Fairness, equity and justice.

He urged women to intensifies their prayers for Governor Yahaya Bello to enable God release the presidential mandate on him, stressing that what women in Kogi are benefiting could reach out to other women in the country.

He noted that this was the first time Kogi state has a leader who had shown national recognition and reckoned globally.

”I did not choose to go for presidency because of myself but for the benefit of people of Kogi and Nigerians, especially the less privilege, vulnerable women and children in the society,” he said.

He commended the management of WEMA Bank for their promised to support Kogi Women in improving their lives, assuring the Bank that it will not be disappointed by women for such gesture.

He congratulated beneficiaries of the empowerment and advised them to use the the cash and agricultural items judiciously to improve their lives.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Fatima Buba, said a total of 210 women would benefit across the 21 local government areas of the state.

She said the essence of the empowerment was to eradicate poverty and hunger among women, widows, and people with disabilities.

This, she said would improve their lives to enable them contribute their quotas to the economy of the state and the country at large. She

She said Kogi Women were industrious, enterprising and versatile, especially in agriculture, and advised them to use the items for their intended purposes.

The Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr David Apeh, commended the Federal and State Government for the gesture, as well as Wema Bank for ensure readiness to support women farmers in the state.

Apeh appealed to the bank to simplify the loan conditions to enable the women access it.

Also speaking, Manager of Wema Bank, Mrs Chinasa Isaac, assured the readiness of the bank to support government in its empowerment programmes.

She said the bank has products targeting women folks, saying it was ready to give them loan at the range of N100,000 to N1 million to boost their businesses.

Some beneficiaries, Funke Abolaji, Sepuwa Danladi, Ramatu Yusuf and Omoshade Yemi from Yagba West, Yagba East, Idah, Ofu and Ibaji Local Governments respectively, commended the Federal and state government for the empowerment.

They expressed happiness for being beneficiaries of the programme and promised to use the cash as well as agricultural items according to expectations.

The Agricultural items distributed include: seedlings such as Beans, rice, maize, grandnut and farm implements such as wheel barrow, shovel, spraying container, fertilizer, chemicals, among others.

End

The federal government has begun the distribution of free farm inputs to more than 560 rural farmers in Kogi State

The distribution is on the platform of the Value Chain Development (IVCDP) Programme supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Speaking at the inauguration on Friday in Lokoja, the National Programme Coordinator, FGN/IFAD-VCDP, Dr Fatima Aliyu, said that the gesture was to boost food security and cushion the damaging effects of COVID-19 pandemic on rural farmers.

She noted that that the VCDP was a joint programme of the Federal Government and IFAD and is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to her, the project aims at improving the incomes and food security of poor rural households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava on a sustainable basis.

”In early 2020, there was an outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic which affected the world and disrupted farming activities and food systems.

”To cushion the effect of 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 meant for vulnerable farmers in VCDP states of Enugu State, Kogi, Nasarawa State, Anambra, Benue, Niger, Taraba and Ebonyi to sustain production and help them recover more quickly from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

”Through the RPSF 2,793 vulnerable farmers will receive agro inputs to support their farming activities.

”A total of 560 farmers will receive these inputs free consisting of 40kg certified rice seeds, 2 litres of herbicides, two bags of NPK fertiliser and one bag of Urea fertilizers in Kogi state,” she said

Aliyu was overwhelmed by the efforts and commitment of the state programme Coordinator, Dr Stella Adejoh, saying that is why Kogi State is always ahead of others in the COVID 19 palliative.

She noted that VCDP would also provide extension services to targeted farmers who would receive trainings on good practices in the application of fertiliser and agro-che.

”We recognizse and appreciate the support of IFAD in our quest to improve the livelihoods of our small holder farmers and specifically to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the agricultural sector particularly for VCDP farmers.

”To our respected farmers, we implore you to make judicious use of the inputs. The inputs are not meant to be sold out but for you to use them on your farms.

”We are going to support you with extension services and monitor your progress to ensure you have better yields to enhance your food security and incomes and ultimately your standard of living,” Aliyu said.

He thanked Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi for his commitment and support to the VCDP, and assured him of their unwavering collaboration with the state to improve the livelihoods and income of the farmers.

In his remarks, the Kogi Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Apeh, who inaugurated the inputs’ distribution, said that government would not relent in providing secured environment for farming activities to thrive in the state.

Earlier, the State Programme Coordinator, Dr Stella Adejoh, expressed her joy and fulfillment over the exercise, urging the farmers not to play with their tomorrow by selling the input.

She said that the 560 rural farmers cut across the four rice producing local government areas of Lokoja, Ibaji, Ajaokuta and Kabba/Bunu, adding that the initiative was meant to reduce the pains brought on the people by the outbreak of the pandemic.

She noted that IFAD-VCDP operations and activities which started two years ago had made positive impacts on the lives of the rural farmers.

She said that since inception, many communities across the state were provided with rice processing centres with processors, drying slabs and solar powered boreholes, among others.

She thanked the state Government. Yahaya Bello for providing the enabling environment for the IFAD/VCDP programmes to thrive in the state.

She assured that IFAD would collaborate with relevant stakeholders for effective monitoring and supervision of the beneficiaries down to their farms for judicious use of the inputs,”Adejoh said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Salihu Abdullahi, Chairman Magajiya farm cluster, Lokoja, commended the IFAD-VCDP for the initiative to alleviate the sufferings of rural farmers.

End

No fewer than 560 vulnerable rural farmers in Kogi would benefit from the Rural Poor Stimulus Facility (RPSF), aimed at cushioning the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on rural farmers.

The RPSF is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Value Chain Development Programme, supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (FGN/IFAD-VCDP).

Speaking to journalists on Friday in Lokoja, Prof. Aminu Suleiman, who led a Team on a Supervision Mission to Kogi, said they were in the state to access the level of preparedness towards the implementation of the RPSF.

According to him, the RPSF is a grant given to rural rice farmers to cushion the shock of COVID-19 pandemic across the States of the federation including Kogi State.

Suleiman expressed satisfaction with the preparation on ground in Kogi, and commended the State Gvernment for its commitment to supporting the IFAD programmes in the state.

He further applauded the State’s Programme Coordinator, Dr Stella Adejoh and her team for always put in all their best to see to the successful implementation of all IFAD-VCDP projects in the state.

On her part, Dr Stella Adejoh, State Programme Coordinator of IFAD/VCDP, said lots of people lost their means of livelihood during the COVID-19 pandemic, and consequently faced with hardships.

She explained that the IFAD decided that such vulnerable persons affected by the pandemic in the society should be helped in order to bring them out of their poverty situation.

She said the farmers would be provided with grant inform of inputs by IFAD such as fertilizer, certified rice seed, selective and non selective herbicides, among others.

She noted about 80 per cent of the farmers’ beneficiaries are women and youths who have been profiled and validated by a team of consultants from IFAD who came to the state in 2021.

She said a total of 560 rural farmers cut across the four rice producing local government areas of Lokoja, Ibaji, Ajaokuta and Kabba/Bunu, in the state.

According her, the inputs include: 1400 bags of NPK fertilizer, 461 bags of Urea fertilizer, 186 pieces of both selective & non-selective herbicides, and 340 bags of 50kg (17 tonnes) of certified Rice seed Faro-44.

Dr Adejoh added that the State Government provided IFAD with warehouse at Kogi ADP office where those inputs were being stored.

”We want to thank Kogi State Government who has provided the enabling environment for the IFAD/VCDP programmes to thrive in the state.

”I feel very excited because of the feedback we are getting and the support the programme is receiving from the Kogi State Government.

”I am very happy and grateful to His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, for always supporting Agricultural Development Programmes in the state,” she said.

She assured that IFAD is collaborating with the International Fertiliser Distribution Company, who would give support in the area of inputs’ distribution, monitoring and supervision to ensure proper utilisation the intended purpose.

”We will monitor the beneficiaries down to their farms for effective utilisation of the inputs,” Adejoh said.

Earlier, the team paid a courtesy visit to the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. David Apeh, where they thanked the State Government for fully supporting VDCP activities in the state.

Apeh assured the team of the commitment of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, to continue to give the needed support to the program for the benefits of Kogi rural farmers.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Kogi ADP, Mr Bello Ogirima George, who warehoused the farm inputs, thanked the VDCP for the initiative.

He, however called for more collaboration and support for ADP, saying it would go a long way in strengthening the activities of IFAD/VCDP in the state.

The team further interacted in separate discussions with the farmers’ women and youth groups in both Kabawa and Magajiya clusters to know the plight and challenges being faced.

The team lead encouraged the farmers to be more hardworking to increase the size of their farm land from one hectare to three hectares, saying government was ready to assist them with the needed inputs as well as buying their farm produce through offtakers no matter the quantity.

In their separate comments, the youth and women leaders of both Kabawa and Magajiya Clusters, Seidu Liman and Aishat Abdullahi respectively, commended the VCDP for the intervention and promised to judiciously utilised the inputs.

”We are very excited for the intervention especially after this COVID-19 pandemic, we are grateful to them,” Liman said

End

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, on Thursday began the distribution of 114, 315 (50kg) bags of fertilisers to farmers affected by 2018 flooding in Kogi State.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, handed over the bags fertilizers to the Kogi State Government during the inauguration ceremony in Lokoja, for onward distribution to farmers affected by the 2018 flooding in the state.

She said that the bags of fertiliser would be distributed by the ministry through National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to farmers in collaboration with the State government.

The minister also monitored the disbursement of two months Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, under the Emergency Agricultural Intervention Programme beneficiaries under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).

According to Farouq, 19,803 bags of fertilizers will be distributed to farmers in Ofu and Lokoja Local Government Areas of the State.

“The total quantity of NPK fertilizers required after verification of the farmers is 114,315 bags of 50kg: 54,900 bags were delivered to the State.

“From the quantity delivered, 35,097 bags were distributed to farmers in five Local Government Areas including Kogi (Koton Karfe), Ajaokuta, Igalamela-Odolu, Omala and Ibaji. Starting from today, 19,803 bags of fertilizers will be distributed to farmers in Ofu and Lokoja Local Government Areas.

“The balance of 59,415 bags being processed by the blending plants will be delivered as soon as it is ready.

“It is worthy of note that fertilizer distribution is the final phase of Federal Government assistance to the farmers to enable them to recover from the losses suffered in order to alleviate poverty and empower them.

”May I, therefore, use this opportunity to appeal to the beneficiaries to make the best use of the fertilizer,” she said.

The Minister noted that Kogi State is an agrarian State with the citizens largely engaged in farming activities, saying, ”the frequent occurrence of flood has continued to threaten this potential.

“The Yearly Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency on 24th January 2020 and the Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) released by the Hydrological Services Agency, have forecasted that in Kogi State, the highly probable flood risk in 2020 will include Bassa, Dekina, Lokoja, Omala local Government Areas; while the probable flood risk areas are Idah, Igalamela-Odolu, Koton-karfe, Ajaokuta, Ofu, Adavi Local Government Areas.

Also inaugurated was the roll out of Agricultural inputs to be distributed to Kogi farmers and nationwide as parts of the Federal Government’s palliatives against COVID-19 pandemic.

In his remarks, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammed Sabo-Nanono, said the agricultural inputs was parts of the federal government’s palliatives to cushion the effects of COVID-19 on food and nutrition, as well as security of the nation.

Sabo-Nanono handed over farm inputs including cashew seeds, soya beans, sesame seeds and agrochemicals to the State Government for distribution to farmers.

The minister urged the beneficiaries to use the agricultural inputs judiciously to make food abundantly available in the country in order to defeat the negative impacts of COVID-19 in the country.

In his remarks, Kogi Deputy Governor, Chief Edward David Onoja, who flagged off the distribution on behalf of Gov. Yahaya Bello, applauded Mr President’s kind gesture for supporting the farmers in the state with farm inputs and fertilizers, assured that the support will go a long way to boost agriculture and alleviate poverty.

He promised that the fertilisers would be effectively utilised and distributed accordingly as specified by the minister in the five council areas.

He also thanked the Federal Government for supporting the poorest of the poor in the State through the CCT programme.

Also present at the occasion was the Director General of NEMA, Air Vice Marshal Muhammadu Muhammed (rtd), officials of both the Ministries of Agriculture and Humanitarian Affairs.

End