IFAD-VCDP Tasks Agric Workers on Proper Record keeping

The International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme, IFAD-VCDP, has urged Agric extension workers to improve their record keeping in agricultural activities to attract investments.

Mrs Vera Onyeaka-Onyilo, Knowledge Management and Communication Adviser, IFAD-VCDP Abuja made the remarks at a training for the agency’s agriculture extension agents, farmers and liaison officers on Monday in Awka, Anambra State, South-Eastern, Nigeria.

Onyeaka-Onyilo said keeping good records could attract both local and international investments as well as create wealth and jobs.

The FGN/ IFAD-VCDP is a programme aimed at developing agricultural markets and increasing market access for smallholder farmers and small to medium-scale agro-processors.

The eight benefiting states of the programme in Nigeria are: Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Niger, Nasarawa, Ogun, Kogi, Benue, and Taraba .

Onyeaka-Onyilo noted that the IFAD-VCDP programme received additional financing in one and two batches due to encouraging record keeping from the field officials.

“The IFAD-VCDP program began in the year 2010 with emphasis on production, processing, and marketing of rice and cassava.

“Farmers were producing about 3.5 tons of rice and 4.5 tons for cassava per hectare respectively before the programme started.

“But with the success reports, we were able to uncover that farmers supported by the agency could achieve seven tons of rice per hectare  and  between 10 and14 tons of cassava per hectare respectively,” she said.

The IFAD-VCDP official said that it was for this feat that the programme got additional financing one and two, saying that more cheering activities of the agency were yet to be reported.

She expressed optimism that the international organisation might further extend its activities in Nigeria if reports revealed more positive achievements.

“We are interested to know how the livelihood of the beneficiaries, especially the rural poor, are being impacted,” she said.

She said that the capacity training was aimed at boosting the knowledge of the extension officers and the Liaison Officers to focus on the mainstreaming areas of the program.

“With the Additional Financing one and two, our emphasis now is on the mainstreaming areas nutrition, financial inclusion, gender/women empowerment and climate change,” she said.

Mr Henry Anagboso, Anambra Knowledge Management and Communication Officer, said participating extension officers, Liaison, officers, and farmers were selected from the eight participating local government areas of the state.

He advised the participants to apply the skills taught them during the training for enhanced reportage on direct and indirect activities of the agency.

Mrs Chioma Uzodike, a participant at the training, described the event as impactful and pledged to utilize the gains of the training.

NAN/Shakirat Sadiq