Agriculture

IFAD Empowers 18,000 Farmers in Ogun

By Web News 527

By Olusegun Folarin

About eighteen thousand farmers across eight local government areas of Ogun State have been empowered under the IFAD-assisted Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, to boost rice and cassava production. 

Acting State Co-ordinator of the Programme, Mrs. Abiola Adewole-Sobukola, who made this known during an assessment tour of some projects in four council areas of the state, said the government’s intervention had helped to stabilize food prices in local markets.

The tour of projects sites in Ijebu East, Ijebu North-East, Odeda and Yewa North local council areas was aimed at assessing the interventions of the federal government in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD – Value Chain Development Programme and the Ogun State government in developing rice and cassava value chain initiatives.

Farmer’s records indicated that cassava yield has risen from between 8 and 12 metric tonnes per hectare in 2015 to between 25 and 40 metric tonnes per hectare ten years after as a result of government’s interventions. 

The VCDP Coordinator, Mrs. Adewole-Sobukola listed the areas of interventions to include access to training and support on good agronomic practices, improved access to markets and better prices for their products, as well as empowerment of farmers to specialise in their area of expertise.

She emphasized the need for increased support to overcome challenges and ensure the programme’s sustainability. 

Also, the VCDP Knowledge Management and Communication Officer, Mr. Ibikunle Faneye disclosed that a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed between smallholder farmers and off-takers to guarantee fair prices for cassava while aiming to meet the demands for local consumption and industrial use.

Some of the farmers, including Mr. Yusuf Kazeem and Elder Eweoba Timothy, told Radio Nigeria that the projects had helped to improve cassava value chain, particularly in the area of processing for derivatives such as garri, lafun and fufu.

Others, like Mr Onanuga Babatunde and Pastor Olaniyi Oluwaseyi also acknowledged a significant increase in the capacity of cassava processing factories, noting the availability of solar-powered boreholes as additional sources of revenue to the farmers. 

In a remark, the Chairman, Ijebu North East Local Government, Mr. Badejo Folusho, pledged the council’s continued collaboration with relevant bodies, especially the VCDP, to boost food production in the state.

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Agriculture

Agric Extension Agents Trained on Documentation of Success Stories 

By Web News 496

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke

Adequate documentation and record keeping of success stories in agricultural endeavors are essential factors to assist the Federal Government and development partners in assessing the impact of interventions in the sector. 

Knowledge Management and Communication Advisor, International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD – Supported Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, Mrs Vera Onyilo made the submission in Abeokuta, at a training for Agricultural Extension Agents and Liaison Officers. 

Mrs Onyilo maintained that keeping proper account of the success stories would help in projecting the various interventions of the government with a view to identifying the grey areas and introducing measures to address the challenges confronting Agriculture and Rural Development. 

She encouraged the extension agents and liaison officers drawn from the 20 local Government areas of Ogun State to intensify more efforts at tracking and documenting project success stories to further highlight the values added and the impacts made on improving the lives of the people. 

A consultant, Mr Femi Kuye, while taking the participants through the Basic Principles of Photography, said agricultural photography would help to showcase the beauty of agriculture and farming through pictorial stories of related items the industry. 

Earlier, the Acting Programme Coordinator of VCDP in the State, Mrs Temitope Ajisafe who applauded the enduring support of the development partners, appealed to participants to bring the knowledge gained at the training to bear on enhancing Agricultural Development in their coverage areas.

A cross section of the participants including Mr Adegbesan Adegboye and Mrs Oluwafunke Adeyanju, who agreed that farmers success stories had been reported, expressed optimism that the training on Criteria for Identification of Success Story and Basic Photographic skills would enable them to project more agricultural interventions among farmers at the grassroots.

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News Yoruba

Ijoba Ipinle Oyo, Yo Se Atuse Popona To Wa Ni Igberiko

By Web News 1207

Gomina ipinle Oyo, Onimo ero Seyi Makinde ti so pe isejoba re, yo satunse lori opopona to je ti igberiko ti ko ni din ni ibuso igba niye niipase ise akanse to wa fun ese kuku ati tita-rira nkan eka ogbin ramp fun todun 2021.

O soro yi, lasiko ti on ngba asoju Bank idagbasoke ile adulawo ati ajo eleto isuna agbaye fun idagbasoke ise agbe IFAD, llalejo loofisi re.

Gomina ni isejoba re, ni on sise lati ri daju pe agbega deba eka ohun ogbin nipinle yi ti yio si mu goke agba debi ipo amuye, ti yo si fun pese ise fun opo odo ti moni ise lowo.

Gomina Makinde tun gboriyin fun ise akanse RAAMP, lori akitiyan lati tun opopona to wa nigberiko to wo ibuso igba niye se.

Saaju, eni to lewaju iko Banki idagbasoke ile adulawo, Omowe Chucks Ezedinma sope ile ifowopamo naa lo n sise lowo lati sise Pataki lori siso nkan oko di nkan mira, wro yi ni won yo si se agbekale re si ipinle mefa tipinle Oyo si je okan.

Adebisi/Afonja

Agriculture

Ogun Government Flags-Off Harvesting Of Wet Season Rice

By Web News 1030

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has flagged-off harvesting of 2020 Wet Season Rice planted by the State Government to support youth farmers.

Speaking at the ceremony held at Sowunmi Village, Mokoloki, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state, Governor Abiodun who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina said his administration was committed to ensure all year rice production in the state.

Governor Abiodun explained that the rice which was planted in March 2020 at the onset of COVID-19 lockdown, was the focal point of the flag off of the Wet Season Rice Harvest in the state under the Federal Government, International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD and Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP.

He pointed out that the state youth Rice Production Enterprise operating in all rice growing locations in ten local government areas of the state had earlier harvested dry season rice in April 2020.

Governor Abiodun also said that his administration placed a high premium on agriculture sector as part of efforts to create jobs and make the state the food basket of the nation.

Bolanle Adesida