FARMERS in Anambra State have been told to embark on massive food cultivation as a means of ensuring food sufficiency in the present lack and high cost of food in the country.
This was made known to journalists during the monitoring exercise of the InputsRedemption/Disbursement of 2022Farming Season at Umunze, the headquarter of Orumba South Local Government Area.
Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Foster Ihejiofor, while speaking during the exercise, said he was satisfied with the degree of execution, compliance of the officers and the response of the farmers.
He said the state government will not hesitate to pay her own counterpart contributions, adding that it is a deliberate act of government, in collaboration with international funding partners to make sure that food is abundant in the state through IFAD-VCDP.
“I’m privileged to know that there are several interventions around, like the one for COVID-19 from the federal government in areas of cassava, livestock, poultry, maize,etc., and other interventions.”
Mr Ihejiofortold farmers that “the whole idea is not intended for your self-enrichment alone. You farmers should make sure those inputsare put in proper use as was directed by your principal”.
He charged them to put prices on the products so that their compatriots and neighbours can afford it for Anambra to be the food basket of the nation.
State Programme Coordinator, NnamdiAgwuncha, expressed regrets that farmers were receiving their 2022 inputs very late, assuring them that subsequent ones will be different.
He explained that it is as a result of federal government’s delay in the preparation of its budget, even as he informed them of the benefits to the farmers.
“Once a farmer belongs to a cooperative and work on five-six hectares, such a person, for cassava, will get 200kg, which is four bags of NPK, twolitres of selective and non-selective herbicides. But previously, we used to include two litres of herbicides and for rice, each hectares will receive 200kg or four bags of NPK, and 100 Urea, selective andnon-selective herbicides and 40kg certified rice seeds.
Project coordinator, Mr. Vincent Okeke, talked about his observations with what he saw on ground saying, “when you talk about the IFAD-VCDP, Anambra is putting a round peg in a round hole.
The State Programme Coordinator is someone I always attest to; he does everything practical, hence all the products are on ground”.
Chairman, Cheta-chukwu Cooperative and a graduate of economics, Nwankwo Obichukwu Jonathan, said: I am from Achalla, in Awka North Local Government Area. As a rice farmer, I cultivate 6-7 hectares of rice, but because of lack of money and chemicals for cultivation, things are costly this year, and that is the reason I stopped at three hectares, and my proceeds are under processing. We are asking the government for tractor machine that would facilitate our business and the inputs should have been released to us earlier than now. It will help us as farmers. We thank IFAD-VCDP for keeping us where we are today and my vision is to feed the entire state alone on rice production”.