7,000 Farmers Benefit from IFAD Scheme in Benue

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

No fewer than 7,000 farmers in Benue State have benefited from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) put in place to enhance the production of rice and cassava in Nigeria.

The beneficiaries were said to have been provided with the needed support, especially funds, to help them get greater yields.

Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Mr James Anbua, disclosed that government recently released the sum of N166 million as counterpart fund to the programme to further support its success story.

Mr Anbua, who was represented by his Director of Media, Mr Ahangba Ayati, at the IFAD-VCDP Commodity Alliance Forum for Farmers and Stakeholders in Makurdi, said government will continue to back the farmers.

Representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Sylvester Afenyi, urged the farmers to take good advantage of the cash being given to them.

Also speaking at the event, Programme Coordinator of the IFAD-VCDP in Benue State, Mr Emmanuel Igbaukum, pointed that the scheme has helped Benue farmers upscale their rice production from 1.5 million metric tonnes to over 5 million metric tonnes annually.