To help 107 farmers in Nasarawa State, the Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development have donated farm inputs and equipment.
The two assert that the assistance was given to farmers to lessen the impact of recent flooding that swept out numerous farmlands in the state.
The FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Program’s Acting National Programme Coordinator, Fatima Aliyu, said during the handing-over event in Lafia on Thursday that the goal of the gesture was to enhance food security throughout the state’s 13 Local Government Areas.
The project, according to Fatima, who was represented by Safiriyu Alabi, is intended to lessen the suffering of the poor farmers who were severely impacted by the flooding.
“I am honored to be at the momentous occasion of the flag-off of the distribution of agro-inputs and equipment to our farmers who were devastated by the devastation caused by this year’s floods,” she said.
“Let me truly express my sorrow for the loss of lives, homes, and livelihoods caused by the floods to the government and decent people of Nasarawa state.
“We believe that this support by the FGN/IFAD VCDP will go a long way in alleviating the adverse effects of the floods, and assisting our farmers to recover from their losses and restore their livelihoods.”
Nuhu Oshafu, the state commissioner for agriculture and water resources, praised the FG and IFAD for starting the program while urging the recipients to use the inputs to get the greatest results in line with the grant’s goals.
“During the last wet season, many farmers across different parts of Nasarawa state suffered grave setbacks caused by the flood. Therefore, the flood recovery strategy support grant will in many ways help our flood victims to recover from their losses,” Oshafu says.
Rifkatu Jatau, the acting program coordinator for the FGN/IFAD VCDP in the state, had earlier stated that only farmers in the LGAs of Lafia, Doma, Wamba, Nasarawa, and Karu would be eligible for the funding.
4,240 kg of rice seeds (Faro 44), 636 bags of fertilizer, 212 liters of both selective and non-selective herbicides, and 40 water pumps were listed among the inputs and equipment.
