Implementing climate adaptation methods under the Value Chain Development Programme (FG/IFAD -VCDP), the federal government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development will lessen farmers' future exposure to flood damage.
This was announced by Fatima Aliyu, the FGN IFAD-acting VCDP's national programme coordinator, at the delivery of agricultural inputs and machinery to Taraba farmers devastated by the flood of 2022.
Ms Aliyu stated that the measures would include flood-tolerant rice varieties, climate-resilient infrastructures, and other climate-smart agric technology that would lessen the impact of the flood on farmers. Ms Aliyu was represented by Chima Unanema, agricultural production adviser for IFAD.
She said that the VCDP had reallocated funding and set aside N252 million to give the impacted farmers equipment and agro-inputs so they could practise dry season farming.
She stated that N467 million had also been authorised by IFAD for VCDP to provide assistance to farmers impacted 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 nine states were participating in the VCDP programme, namely, Benue, Taraba, Anambra, and Ebonyi.
Others, she said, are Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, and Ogun states.
Earlier, Irimiya Musa, Taraba state coordinator of FGN/ IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, said 238 VCDP farmers who had been affected by the 2022 flood were to benefit from the flood recovery support and input distribution for dry season rice production in the state.
Mr Musa said the eight participating local government areas in the state are Ardokola, Jalingo, Wukari, Karim Lamido, Bali, Gassol, and Donga local government areas.
He explained that six out of eight local government areas would benefit from the programme due to the eminent devastation caused by the 2022 flood in the state.
The state coordinator encouraged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the residual moisture, especially as the flood had receded, by planting early so they would also harvest early.
He said Taraba was the second state among the nine participating states with the highest number of beneficiaries.
Mr Musa commended Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba for his unalloyed support to agriculture, particularly the VCDP, by creating an enabling environment for the Programme to thrive in the state.
In his remark, Mr Ishaku urged beneficiaries of the support to use the items given to them judiciously.
He advised them not to sell them to merchants.
He commended IFAD for the support, saying food production had increased in the state tremendously.
(NAN)