Nigerian Government, IFAD Empowers Farmers in Nasarawa state with tricycles
The Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development has donated 20 tricycles to 20 farmer groups in Nasarawa State as part of efforts to boost food security.
The state Programme Coordinator, Eunice Adgidzi, made the disclosure while addressing journalists during the distribution exercise in Lafia, adding that the programme organised by the Value Chain Development Programme was targeted at assisting the beneficiaries to convey their farm produce to markets in their respective communities without having to pay for transportation.
Adgidzi noted that the initiative was also aimed at reducing the suffering of poor farmers across the five benefiting local government areas affected by the recent petroleum subsidy removal.
“For us in the Value Chain Development Programme, we see agriculture as a business that is why we always do everything within our powers to assist our farmers so that they can also contribute meaningfully to the growth of our dear state and Nigeria at large.
“Let me encourage our smallholder farmers in the five benefiting LGAs of Lafia, Doma, Wamba, Nasarawa and Karu, to use the tricycles to improve their livelihoods especially now that the petroleum subsidy has been removed.”
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Nasarawa State Ministry Of Agriculture and Water Resources, Isa Eya, who was represented by one Sunday Akhun, commended the FG and IFAD for the initiative and assured of the continuous support of the state government to ensure the success of the programme in the state.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, one of the farmers, Rahab Ayuba, thanked the FG and IFAD for empowering farmers with the tricycles and promised to put them to good use.
Agro Nigeria / Foluke Ibitomi
