Climate Change: IFAD approves 3.5m dollars to build resellance of Nigeria’s farmers
The National Coordinator, Federal Government, International Food and Agriculture Development, IFAD, Value Chain Development
VCDP, Dr. Fatima K. Aliyu has announced the approval of the sum of $3.5 million from IFAD to help build farmers resellance to climate change challenges.
The National Coordinator, IFAD -VCDP who stated this during the official flag-off of the 2023 Wet Season Input Distribution in Minna said when the funds are released, it
will be deployed to farmers in Niger and Kogi states out of the nine participating in the programme in the nation.
The other participating states are Nassarawa, Enugu, Ebonyi, Benue, Ogun , Taraba and Anambra
Dr. Aliyu stated,, ” IFAD has approved 3. 5 million dollars for climate change to be deployed to Niger and kogi states to enhance the resellance of the people to climate change occasion by the annual loses incurred due to flooding “.
She warned, ” the farmers in the two state will not be given physical cash, but rather, it will be used to build their resellance and capacity to shock due to climate change. We cannot stop flood disasters but all we can do is to continue to mitigate it”
The IFAD national coordinator also called on the Niger State Government to pay up it’s counterpart funding in order to access more funds as well as pay the salaries of staff of the IFAD office in the state.
In his remarks, the Niger state governor Hon Muhammad Umar Bago represented by his deputy Comrade Yakubu Garba described the State’s partnership with IFAD-/VCDP over the years as positive and rewarding and improving the income of more beneficiaries thereby making it easy for them to meaningfully contribute to the state economy.
Bago explained that through partnership with IFAD –VCDP the state is currently being rated as the top producer of rice in the Nation, following he recent study in the country by Nigeria Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Zaria.
He also assured that his administration will pay up all salaries being owed staff in the state.
Also,, the Permanent Secretary and state Programme Coordinator, IFAD Dr. Mathew Ahmed said at the moment 355 farmers in three LGs of the eight participating LGs will be supported with farming implements to assist them during the wet season farming in the state to ensure food security..
Some of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Adamu Fatima who got assistance to start up a POS from Wushishi and Mrs. Maimuna Adamu who got a motorcycle from Edati local government areas commended IFAD for adding value to their lives and families.
Some of the items include wet season farming Input, motorcycles to extension agents, POS to youths, sprayers to beneficiaries.
End.
