VCDP Lauds Ogun Farmers For Effective Utilisation Of Flood Recovery Inputs
The Monitoring and Evaluation Team from the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Abuja, has commended farmers, who are beneficiaries of the flood recovery inputs, for efficiently utilising the inputs to boost their productivity.
The VCDP Head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Abuja, Mr Nurudeen Lawal gave the commendation on Saturday during his team’s visit to some of the beneficiaries farms at Obefemi-Owode Local Government area.
In December, the Federal Government, in collaboration with the International Fund Development Programme distributed agro inputs and Equipment to 59 Value Chain (VCDP) rice farmers affected by flood disaster in Ogun.
Visited some rice farms
Lawal, who led the team with other VCDP staff members in the state, also visited some rice farms at Igbo-Igbin in Yewa South Local Government and Odogbolu Local Government areas.
He said that essence of the visit was to come and inspect how far and how well the beneficiaries had made use of the inputs given to them as a support for dry season farming.
Lawal said that the beneficiaries were farmers who lost their farmland and produce to last year flooding.
According to him, in 2022, IFAD-VCDP had supported the farmers with seedlings, fertilizer, water pumps and Hybricides for free to enable the farmers to regain their losses during the dry season.
Capacity building
While lauding the beneficiaries after inspecting their farms, Lawal said that they had put in their best and utilised the inputs and as well impacted the use of capacity building in their farmland.
According to him, I am so impressed with what I saw in their various farms.
“It shows that the support was given to the right people that deserve it; they are also utilising it well.
“Gone are those days when farmers are supported with inputs and they sold them out instead of using.
“You can see that the farmers are enthusiastic about continuation of the work, by asking for utilisation of access to mechanisation.
“One thing that makes me happy when I saw the activities of the farmers is that I know that Ogun is not really a state of dry season rice farming.
“But with the effort the VCDP is making and working with partners and consultant, who are expert in Agricultural production and development, we have been able to change the mindset of our local farmers toward accepting the utilisation of improved production input as well as improved practices.
“The support given to these farmers is a special programme, because VCDP is trying to respond to the loss in which most farmers were affected during the last year flooding.
“With what has been forecast, we are told that this year there will be another flooding; so with this technology that the farmers have seen, we have already planned for potential support of what may happened if flooding happens,” he said.
Remain committed
Lawal urged the beneficiaries to remain committed and make proper use of the inputs in line with the capacity building techniques.
He, however, assured the farmers that solutions to their challenges and request on mechanised equipment to boost their productions would be provided.
The team leader said that the monitoring and evaluation team would come back to visit the farms in May toward the harvesting season.
“This is to know if the intending result of the programme was being achieved.
Also, the State Programme Coordinator (SPC) of VCDP, Mr Samuel Adeogun, said that the monitoring team came to monitor the intervention of the programme and support given to farmers who were affected by flooding in 2022.
Adeogun said that after the flooding, The International Fund for Agricultural Development – Assisted Value Chain Development programme (IFAD-VCDP), supported the affected farmers with inputs, fertilizers, seeds, hybicides, water pump and provided them with capacity building.
Responding to requests from the beneficiaries, said that they need more mechanised equipment including Power tiller, thresher, rice planter and harvester, noting that before now, VCDP had started working on the provision of the equipment.
“With respect to their requests, we are already working on it, because we know that labour is becoming very scares to get and there is a need for them to mechanise their production activities.
“So, the farmers are correct in making those requests and we have already included it in our 2023 annual work plan and budget to provide farmers with production equipment and processing equipment.
- “The only thing the farmers need is for them to provide the 30 per cent and like they were told, they should go and work on getting the 30 per cent, while the 70 per cent is going to be contributed by the government, both the state and federal governments and the donor,” he said.
Adeogun, however, assured the beneficiaries that once their 30 per cent was ready, they would be able to get the equipment and use on their farms.
According to him, it would help increase mechanisation and enhance productivity on their farms and improve their livelihood.
Mr Kolade Gbamgboye and Mrs Modupe, who spoke on behalf of other beneficiaries, commended IFAD-VCDP for their supports in capacity building, input.
They said that it has increased their knowledge on best practice in rice production, promising that they would continue to utilise the inputs and also assured them of bumper harvest.
Lateefat Ibrahim
