Farmer’s Associations Benefits from FG/IFAD-VCDP Tricycles in Nasarawa State
By Amina Mohammed, Lafia
The Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development assisted Value Chain Development Programme (FG/IFAD- VCDP) has distributed tricycles worth N16.5 million naira to eleven farmer’s associations from five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Nasarawa State.
Nasarawa State Coordinator of VCDP, Dr. Eunice Adgidzi, disclosed this while handling the 11 tricycles to the beneficiaries in Lafia.
Dr. Adgizi explained that the tricycles are to address the transportation problems often encountered by the farmers and increase their income as well as their livelihoods.
She told the farmers who were drawn from Lafia, Doma, Karu, Nasarawa, and Wamba LGAs to use the tricycles to transport their farm produce and also use it for commercial.
According to her, the distribution was made possible through the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) COVID-19 Rural Poor Stimulus Facility grant.
The Nasarawa State Coordinator of VCDP said each tricycle is N1. 5 million and IFAD provide 70 percent of the total cost while each group paid 30 percent to enable them to benefit.
“IFAD provided N11, 5 million which he 70 percent of the total cost and the beneficiaries paid N5 million which is 30 percent respectively. IFAC paid N1, 50, 000 for each tricycle while each benefiting group paid N450, 000 to enable it to access one tricycle. We distributed fertilizer, seedlings, and other farming inputs to the farmers free, but for equipment, they have to pay a token as part of their commitment,” she noted.
The Coordinator said that the project is aimed 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.
She also expressed gratitude to Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State for his continued support of the project and assure the state would get excellent results and improved output.
Responding on behalf of the farmers, Bala James-Ewuga of Akwa Rice Irrigation Farmers Limited, thanked the government for the support and promised to use them judiciously.
He said they would use them in addressing transporting their agricultural produce and would also use them for commercial to increase the fortunes of members.
