The Anambra Government, through the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development Value Chain Development Programme (FGN/IFAD-VCDP), has distributed agricultural equipment to more than 500 farmers.
The State Programme Coordinator, Dr Deborah Onyefulu, flagged off the initiative in Akwa on Monday.
Onyefulu said the intervention was designed to promote the participation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in agriculture.
The equipment distributed included 49 tricycles, 84 power tillers, 80 solar-powered water pumps, 200 knapsack sprayers and fertiliser applicators.
The programme also distributed 29 sets of cassava-processing equipment, 10 sets of rice-processing equipment and cooking demonstration equipment for 50 women.
Onyefulu said the initiative was to increase rural farmers’ income, create employment opportunities, reduce poverty and boost the state’s internally generated revenue.
“The equipment support is part of the programme’s initiative to support women, youths and persons with disabilities.
“It is geared towards promoting inclusiveness in agricultural value chains and increasing the income of poor rural farmers on a sustainable basis,” she said.
She warned beneficiaries against selling the equipment, adding that a monitoring team had been established to ensure the items were used for their intended purposes.
Also speaking, Mr Anthony Muobike, member representing Aguata Constituency II in the Anambra Assembly, urged beneficiaries to use the equipment judiciously.
Muobike commended Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for supporting the programme and promoting sustainable agricultural development in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Chinwe Achugbu, commended VCDP for interventions that had improved farmers’ livelihoods.
Represented by a ministry official, Mrs Ify Onyenwe, Achugbu also praised the programme and the state government for creating an enabling environment for agricultural development.
Mr Matthew Okafor, Acting State Agricultural Production Officer for Value Chain, said liaison officers selected beneficiaries across the nine participating local government areas.
Okafor said beneficiaries had to contribute 30 per cent of the equipment cost, while the government covered the remaining 70 per cent.
He urged farmers to use the equipment appropriately, stressing that it should go to those who genuinely need it.
“There is no need to collect equipment you do not need. Instead, we give them to those in need of them,” he said.
Mrs Mary Obiekwe, Acting Business and Market Development Officer of VCDP in Anambra, said 50 selected farmers would each receive a tricycle to transport farm produce to markets.
Obiekwe said the intervention would help reduce post-harvest losses caused by poor transportation and limited access to remote farming communities.
“Before now, these farmers experienced harvest losses due to a lack of mobility and access to remote hinterlands.
“With the distribution of these tricycles, there will be seamless transportation and increased productivity,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Onyebuchi Okoli of the Destiny Farmers’ Cooperative, Isuaniocha, Awka North, said the tricycle would improve the transportation of her farm produce.
Okoli, who specialises in vegetable, cassava and fish farming, thanked the programme for providing equipment and capacity-building support.
“They taught us how farming can improve our livelihoods. If a farmer remains poor, it is because the farmer has decided to remain so,” she said. (NAN)
