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Tag: IFAD

  • IFAD distributes input to rice, cassava farmers in Ogun

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Assisted-Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), has distributed farm input to 1,500 rice and cassava value chain farmers for the success of this planting season.

    The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Adepeju Adebajo, inaugurating the distribution of the input in Owode Local Government Area, said the input would help the farmers boost production.

    Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Olatunbosun Mosuro, he also expressed optimism that the input would assist farmers meet the challenges of food security.

    Mrs Adebajo said the beneficiaries were selected from five local government areas: Obafemi/ Owode, Yewa North, Ijebu North East, Ijebu East, and Ifo.

    She said the implementation of the programmee was in line with the objective of Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) and the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

    “The objective is to catalyse a market-led value added production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava commodities and other products by smallholders farmers,“ she said.

    The said the objective of the programme would be achieved “through the adoption of best practices and innovations that increase efficiencies of value chain of the commodities.“

    She also said the youth would be attracted to farming and gender inclusiveness ensured through the programme.

    Adebajo noted that the programme was also in line with the mission of the present administration to rebuild Ogun.

    The commissioner disclosed that since the inception of the FGN/IFAD/VCDP, over 6,000 farmers had been supported with input to cultivate 7,000 hectres of rice and cassava across the five participating local governments.

    She added that the VCDP support to farmers had impacted positively on their productivity, adding that the average yield of cassava from 2015 increased from 10.1 metric tons per hecter to 25 metric tons per hectre last year.

    The commissioner also disclosed that rice production increased from N1.6 metric tons per hectre to 4.4 metric tons per hectre within the same period.

    She, however, appealed to the farmers to judiciously utilise the input for them to achieve higher productivity.

    The state VCDP Coordinator, Mr Samual Adeogun, said the motive behind the distribution of the input was to provide farmers with the value chains to increase their productivity.

  • IFAD-assisted programme contributes $56m into Nigeria’s GDP

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) contributed 56 million dollars into Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in the 2017 production season.

    IFAD Nigeria Country Programme Officer Dr Ben Odoemena, said this yesterday in Abuja at the mid-term review of the programme.

    Odoemena explained that 9.2 million dollars of the money was injected into Benue through the IFAD programme beneficiaries, thereby saving the country the foreign exchange that would have been expended on rice importation.

    The officer said 15,000 tonnes of paddy rice were produced while 10,000 jobs were created during the period under review.

    ‘‘In Benue alone, more than 3,000 jobs were created and overall, 10,000 jobs have been created, comprising paid jobs of more than 7,000. ‘This laudable goal was achieved due to the political will of the participating state governments and this has gone a long way to boost rice and cassava production in the country,’’ he said.

    He stressed that aside supporting farmers, the programme had resulted in the construction of feeder roads to enable farmers to access their rice and cassava farms.

    He said the programme also constructed modern rice mills in states to enhance its quality.

    Odoemena said more attention was now being focused on meeting the food needs of the country as well as earning more foreign exchange from exports and to diversify the nation’s economy.

    Also speaking, Dr. Ameh Onoja, the National Coordinator, described the programme as a success story because it had empowered so many youths going by the assessment.

    He said 45,000 farmers in the six participating states of Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba had in the last three years embraced rice and cassava farming.

    Of that number, some of them engaged processing and marketing, to develop sustainable Value Chains for the two commodities.

    Onoja noted that in the last three years, the rice producing areas were producing over five tonnes of rice per hectare as against two two tonnes previously while cassava yield had hit an average of 20 tonnes per hectare as against the 10 tonnes recorded in the past.

    “It is indeed a success story as we have also constructed 130 kms of roads out of our target of 180 kms. We have also upgraded processing centres and farmers there are doing stone-free branded rice with better equipment and have increased the income of the processors,’’ he said.

  • IFAD distributes N8.6m rice processing equipment to farmers

    IFAD distributes N8.6m rice processing equipment to farmers

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development ( IFAD ) – Value Chain Development Programme ( VCDP ) on Tuesday distributed rice processing equipment worth N8.6 million to five women farmers groups in Niger.

    The State Programme Coordinator ( SPC ), Dr. Mathew Ahmed, while distributing the equipment to the farmers in Minna on Tuesday, said the measure would go a long way in creating jobs.

    According to him, it will also ensure that local rice farmers produce the crop in line with international best practices.

    “We are here today to distribute rice processing machines to our farmers to enable them produce rice that will compete favourably with the foreign rice.

    “Many of the foreign rice we eat today in Nigeria are not better than our local rice because they are expired but our local rice is fresh.

    Read also: Edo, Delta, Cross River fish farmers get equipment

    “Some of the foreign rice we eat constitute health hazards, hence the need for VCDP to ensure food security,’’ he said.

    The equipment distributed included five rice de-stoners, 10 rice parboilers, and 46 manual sprayers.

    The coordinator said IFAD-VCDP would subsidise the cost of the equipment.

    He explained that the groups selected from the five participating local government areas in the VCDP applied for the equipment.

    The local governments include Bida, Wushishi, Kontagora, Shiroro and Katcha.

    He said that aside training the farmers in mechanised farming in the value chain, the programme also trained them in using first-bottom approach to parboil rice.

    “We are presently working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria ( SON ) to make sure that our farmers adhere to international best practices that will make their product accepted across the globe,’’ he said.

    He said that there were 13,000 farmers participating in rice and cassava value chain in the state.

    In her remarks, Dr Amina Bello, wife of the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bello commended IFAD-VCDP, saying that it had added value to the state’s agriculture drive.

    She was represented by Mrs Kaltume Rufai, the Permanent Secretary, Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

    Bello urged the beneficiaries to utilise the equipment to ensure success of the programme.

    Responding on behalf of one of the beneficiary groups,  Hajiya Hadiza Yunusa, Chairman, Nufawamasu Gumi Rice Producers Association, Bida said that before the coming of IFAD-VCDP the colour of their rice was not attractive and contained impurities.

    Yunusa said that the VCDP had trained them on modern ways of cultivating, processing and marketing rice.

    “Now we sell our rice and cassava to other West African countries, our customers even book in advance,’’ Yunusa said.

    NAN

  • NiMet, IFAD sign MoU on food security

    NiMet, IFAD sign MoU on food security

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Fund for Agricultural Development on Climate Change Adaptation and Agri-Business Support Programme (IFAD-CASP).

    The pact is aimed at improving yields and reducing the risk of crop failure in seven northern states  that are vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

    The states are; Katsina, Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa.

    The agreement would also reduce the losses incurred by farmers in the states over the years as a result of climate change and weather uncertainties.

    Speaking on the agreement, the Director-General of NiMet, Professor Sani Mashi, said NiMet would assist the states in the  prediction of rainfall establishment, rainfall variability, dry spells and length of raining season for sustainable agriculture.

    “Development of crop calendars in line with the value chain crops adopted by the selected communities and training of Extension Workers, Climate Change Officers and Community development associations in the analysis and interpretation of the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) in selected CASP States.”

  • 815m people hungry globally – UN

    815m people hungry globally – UN

    A United Nations report has shown that the number of people  in dire need of food globally  increased to 815 million in 2016 from 777 million in 2015.

    According to The State of Food Insecurity and Nutrition in the World, global hunger numbers fell steadily from 926 million in 2005 to 795 million in 2010, and broadly stabilised until last year’s “worrisome” jump.

    In terms of percentages, the share of the global population facing chronic food shortages has fallen from just under 15 per cent in 2000 to 10.6 per cent in 2015.

    The food shortage has increased to 11 per cent in 2016.

    UN agencies blamed “violent conflicts and climate-related shocks” such as the El Nino weather phenomenon for “sharply” worsening food security in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, South-Eastern Asia and Western Asia.

    South Sudan, where a famine was declared in early 2017, and north-east Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen, which have been classified as high risk of famine, were singled out as areas of particular concern.

    Friday’s report was a joint effort from UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

    They said it is “not yet clear” whether the increase in hunger rates is a blip or the beginning of a new trend, but it anyway “poses a significant challenge for international commitments to end hunger by 2030.”

    In absolute numbers, most of the world’s hungry people -520 million, live in Asia.

    But in relative terms, the hunger crisis is worse in Africa, where 20 per cent of the population – 243 million people, is affected. This rises to 33.9 per cent in Eastern Africa.

    “Among children under 5; 155 million are too short for their age, 52 million are too skinny for their age, and 41 million are overweight,” the report added.

    NAN

  • IFAD to engage more farmers in millet cultivation in Sokoto state

    IFAD to engage more farmers in millet cultivation in Sokoto state

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Thursday restated commitment to engage more farmers in Millet cultivation in Sokoto state.

    Dr Aminu Aliyu, the state programme coordinator made the pledge during farmers display on millet produce in Tangaza Local Government Area of the state.

    Aliyu, represented by the state programme Engineering Officer, Malam Yahaya Gangara, said that the programme was aimed at show casing the potentials of farming activities, particularly in the areas of millet production.

    “It was also to exchange ideas among various farmers in the area.

    “This is in order to complement one another and exchange ideas to ensure a bumper harvest of millet produce in the state and to enhance food security in the country.

    “As such, IFAD will continue to engage more farmers in its Climate Change Adaptation and Agribusiness Support Programme (CASP) to ensure the procurement of seeds that can yield a better harvest.

    “Our mission is to ensure the selected farmers become the seasonal Ambassadors of IFAD to mobilise others to participate fully in the next season of millet farming,” he said.

    Aliyu explained that IFAD had since engaged Agricultural industries to purchase all farm produce from the farmers in order to ease their transaction after harvest.

    He called on farmers to judiciouly utilised the farming techniques learnt from IFAD in order to ensure a better harvest across the country.

    Earlier, the local government Chairman, Alhaji Nura Dalhatu commended IFAD’s desire for supporting farmers and farming activities in the state.

    Dalhatu assured farmers that the local government will continue to procure seed for distribution to various farmers across all villages in the council.

    He maintained that the local government will ensure that all farmers in the area benefitted from the gesture to boost food security in the communities.

  • Nigeria won’t import rice next year – IFAD

    Nigeria won’t import rice next year – IFAD

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD) has expressed optimism that the nation would not import rice in 2018 as the nation is gradually moving toward self sufficiency in rice production.

    The IFAD Country Programme Officer in Nigeria, Dr. Odoemena Ben said that with the attention been paid by governments at all levels and international agencies on rice production, the sector has received a boost.

    Ben who stated this during the 5th IFAD Supervision Mission to Niger state said,  “Nigeria is heading for self sufficiency of rice before the end of 2017. I am very sure that if the path of what we are doing continues, we will be self sufficient in rice production. By next year, Nigeria will be able to export rice .”

    He said that with the investment made in rice this year, the farmers across the country can produce more than three million metric tonnes of rice which would be more than enough until the next rice planting season.

    The state IFAD Project Coordinator, Dr. Ahmed Mathew said that over N83 million has been expended for infrastructures for Rural Farmers in Niger state to provide them with basic amenities and alleviate their sufferings.

    He said that the infrastructures were provided under the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) under the programme adding that the projects will help in increasing the productivity of the farmers in the state.

    He said that Solar Powered boreholes was set up for N9.5 million, rehabilitation and construction  of warehouses gulped N23 million while others cost N33 million..

    Ahmed further said that IFAD has helped the farmers in increasing their income while he stressed on the need for the state government to pay up its counterpart fund to enable them give the farmers more infrastructures.

  • IFAD trains value chain staff in Ogun

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has trained the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) staff in Ogun on knowledge management and communication strategies.

    The forum held in Abeokuta on Monday attracted the programme’sstaff from participating local governments in the state.

    Addressing the trainees, Mrs Vera Onyilo, the Knowledge Management and Communication (KMC) Advisor, said the objective of the training was to sensitise them on KMC strategies.

    She stressed the need for members of staff to imbibe the culture of documentation using Information, Communication Technology (ICT).

    Onyilo advised each component to give an account of their jobs with one another, saying this was to allow for easy access to information amongst participants.

    “When we have access to information at the right time, this is when we can say knowledge has been transferred or managed effectively,” she said.

    She enjoined all components to work to together as a team, adding that, “it’s the role of programme staff to document.’’

    Some of the components at the training included Extension Agents, local government Liaison Officers, Monitoring and Evaluation Officers as well as Marketing and Business Development and Agricultural Processors.

    The Project Coordinator of VCDP in Ogun, Mr Samuel Adeogun, told trainees that there was a need to impact on targeted beneficiaries.

    He contended that the programme, being a project of the state government, deserved clarity in reportage.

    Adeogun   advised all components to take advantage of the knowledge management training “so that everyone is clear on what to do.’’

  • 9.2m poor Nigerians benefit from IFAD support projects

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development said yesterday that about 9.2 million out of the 14. 2 million Nigerians targeted have benefited from its development projects across the county in the last six  years.

    The agency said that over $317. 6 million has been spent in financing 10 projects in Nigeria.

    The Director of IFAD’s West and Central Africa Division, Ides de Willebois, said this in Abuja on Thursday at the presentations of its findings by the Independent Office of Evaluation of the agency.

    Willebois, said the projects have improved the livelihoods of rural poor people and strengthened their food production systems in a number of impoverished, remote communities.

    He said that the evaluation was carried out to assess the results and performance of the IFAD-Government partnership in reducing rural poverty and to generate findings and recommendations for the future partnership between IFAD and Nigeria.

    Willebois said: “The evaluation found that the programme targeted poverty reasonably well. During the period covered by the evaluation, 2009-2015, IFAD-funded operations focused on the poorest states in the country, and have effectively provided support to poorer northern states.

    “The evaluation has allowed us to reflect on the impact of our work in areas such as community-driven development. IFAD’s support in community-driven development activities has been particularly successful, especially with community development associations, linked to local government authorities and that continue to function after the project completion.

    “Notable achievements were recorded with regard to access to financial services, community capacity-building and job creation. The benefits derived, in terms of building assets and disseminating technology, were visible and, according to a field survey conducted by the evaluation team, are well sustained. Local governments continued funding community activities beyond the lifetime of IFAD’s support.”

    Earlier, Director of the Independent Office of Evaluation, Oscar Garcia, noted that the scale of the impact of the projects on Nigerians remained limited.

    He blamed it on the size of the country, adding that overall statistics on poverty showed an increasing divide between the urban and rural areas and wealthy and poor people.

    Garcia said: “In particular, the evaluation highlighted the need for a more strategic approach to partnership-building at federal and state levels and that IFAD expand its existing partnerships as well as develop new ones.

    “A missing partner, particularly in the earlier IFAD-supported operations, has been the private sector. Its involvement is crucial given the move towards markets and processing across the portfolio.

    “It is necessary to mobilize a range of public-private partnerships around fertilizer, seeds and processing in line with the approach stipulated by Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).”

  • IFAD lift 80m people out of poverty worldwide

    IFAD lift 80m people out of poverty worldwide

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has dedicated $3billion to lift 80million people out of poverty between 2016 and 2018 worldwide, the Regional Director for West and Central Africa, (IFAD) Mr Ides de Willobois has said.

    He spoke in on the sidelines of the 9th Annual IFAD Regional Workshop for West and Central Africa tagged: ‘Investing in Rural Youths; How Do We Plant the Seed for the Future.’

    Willebois said IFAD currently has 50 operational projects in the region, saying that additional 18 projects will be developed within the three years.

    “For 2016 to 2018, what we have pledge to do for our member states is to lift 80million people out of poverty,  reaching out and working together with 130million people worldwide.”

    “The funds we have made available for this is three billion dollars over those three years; this include the ongoing projects from which the impart will come out from in West and Central Africa. We at the moment have 50 projects, some will close and some new ones will be added; roughly you can say every year we  design six new projects on the average so about 18 projects will be added within the period,’’ he said.

    Willebois said for West and Central Africa, roughly $600 million had been made available for new projects for the three years explaining that $200 million would be disbursed yearly.

    The director said IFAD was discussing with Governments of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea who are recovering for Ebola outbreak on how to accelerate and make up for time lost in project implementations in those countries.

    He said similar dialogue was ongoing in Mali and the Central African Republic where civil unrest and violence had hampered free flow of project implementation.

    Speaking on the workshop, Willebois hoped that the workshop would mark the beginning of a sustained conversation of the relevant authorities within the region to ensure increase youth involvement in agriculture.

    “We have shared the best experiences we have from country to country and the people will start thinking and talking as they continue their work; discussing with their governments on how they can improve and do better.

    “It is a process but what we hope to see after this workshop with this particular theme, is a kind of kick-start in giving  more attention to the areas of youths which is so pressing in all the countries.

    “We hope that this year, we can notice a better support, a better participation in the projects we already have and a better participation for the new projects,’’ he said.