In a bid to support small and medium holder farmers to achieve the development objective of the International Fund for Agriculture Development and Value Chain Development Programme IFAD/VCDP, no fewer than 50 hectares of land have been developed for farmers under the VCDP programmes in Kogi State.
This was disclosed during the visit of the National Environmental and Climate Change Advisor, Mall. Nura Daura; National Infrastructure Advisor, Mr Felix Ohibiokpa; and the State Programme Coordinator (SPC), Dr Stella Adejoh, to the site of the land being developed at Ochekwu community in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Speaking during the visit, Mallam Nura Daura and Felix Ohibiokpa, explained the status and benefits of the job done so far.
Daura expressed satisfaction on the siting of the land development and the extent of the job done so far.
He noted that the essence of the project was to achieve the clustering of several Farmers’ Organisations (FOs) on a developed land.
According to him, it is also intended to promote synergy and provide opportunities for clusters to learn from one another, most especially the good agronomic practices.
On his part, Ohibiokpa expressed his happiness over the land clearing exercise, saying the bulldozers were functioning effectively and none had stopped working.
The National Infrastructure Adviser commended the contractor for his commitment to execute the job within the expected time frame.
In her remarks, the State Programme Coordinator, Dr Stella Adejoh, expressed her joy over the gesture, saying, “Service to humanity and fight against poverty remain the best service any one could render”.
The coordinator described IFAD/ VCDP as a programme laden with milk of kindness to reduce poverty and enhance the livelihoods of the rural farmers.
She emphasised that the essence of the land clearing was to make monitoring and data collection of farmers easily accessible.
According to her, the mechanisation and off-taking will be easy because the farmers are located within the same environment, and produce the same product which is cassava.
Dr Adejoh thanked the State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, for his support to the programme so far.
