Taraba state government on Friday said it would prosecute farmers found diverting or reselling the agro inputs distributed to them by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for improved farm production.
Gov Darius Ishaku stated this while flagging off the distribution of rice and cassava inputs by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)’s Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), for 120 wet-season farmers in the state.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Yusufu Gadi, Ishaku lauded VCDP for its various result-oriented interventions in rice and cassava production, processing and marketing in the state.
He urged the beneficiaries to put the inputs to maximum use to turn around their fortunes and enhance food security.
Earlier, Mr Irimiya Musa, the State Programme Coordinator (SPC) explained that the distribution was to support cassava and rice farmers in the three new VCDP intervening Local Government Councils of Bali, Donga and Jalingo.
“A total of 120 farmers were identified and validated by the National office Abuja to benefit from the little outstanding balance of inputs earmarked for Taraba farmers in 2022,” he said.
SPC however appealed to the National Office to increase the quantity of inputs for the state in subsequent allocations given the state’s vast agricultural potential for rice and cassava.
According to Irimiya, the programme which was being funded by a tripartite arrangement of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), IFAD and the participating states was principally aimed at developing the value chain of rice and cassava for enhanced food security.
He also noted that VCDP was working in nine states of the federation including, Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kogi, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun and Taraba.
Naija News reports that items distributed at the event include rice seeds, NPK fertiliser, agro-chemicals and urea fertiliser.
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