IFAD-VCDP advises Benue farmers against sale of inputs

The Value Chain Development Programme of the International Food for Agricultural Development (IFAD-VCDP) has advised farmers in Benue not to sell the farm inputs given to them.

Mr Emmanuel Igbaukum, the State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP in Benue, gave the advice on Monday at the launch of the 2018 distribution of farm inputs in Taraku, Gwer Local Government Area of the state.

He decried a situation where people collected farm inputs with the ulterior motive of selling them, instead of using them for crop cultivation, describing such behaviour as counter-productive.

He also said that such behaviour would discourage organisations that supported the farmers with various items from rendering such assistance to them in future.

Igbaukum stressed that the inputs given to farmers were aimed at boosting agricultural production, while enabling the beneficiaries to have bountiful harvests at the end of the cropping season.

He said that IFAD-VCDP would engage security agencies to monitor the beneficiary farmers, with a view to preventing them from selling the inputs.

The state programme coordinator noted that Olam Nigeria Limited had been able to recover 95 per cent of the loans it gave to farmers in Benue, urging the farmers to sustain their positive mindset on loan repayment.

Besides, Mr James Anbua, the Benue Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, commended farmers in the state for paying 95 per cent of the loans which they collected from Olam.

Mr Ameh Onoja, National Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, said that Olam Nigeria Limited also bought rice worth N2.7 billion from farmers in Benue.

Also speaking, Miss Dorathy Arinze, a representative of International Fertiliser Distribution Centre (IFDC), pledged that the organisation would ensure the equitable distribution of farm inputs to the farmers.

She, however, urged the beneficiary farmers to make maximum use of the inputs.

The Chief of Ngenev, Chief Augustine Tali, urged his people to engage in large-scale agriculture so as to improve their living conditions.