Dry Season Farming: Ebonyi Commences Distribution Of Equipment, Inputs To Farmers

Ebonyi State government has commenced the distribution of modern agricultural equipment and inputs to farmers ahead of the 2025 dry season farming.

The state government also inaugurated the 2024 International Fund for Agricultural Program-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) projects, as part of efforts to boost food security and rural livelihoods in the state.

The equipment and inputs distributed include tillers, rice threshers, rice reapers, garri hydraulic press, nutrient dense, impulse dealers, tricycles, rice distoners, mobile milling machines, weighing scales, bags of fertilizers, cartons of herbicides, rice seedlings among others.

Flagging off the distribution at the IFAD-VCDP office, Onuebonyi in Abakaliki, the state governor represented by his wife, Mrs. Uzoamaka Nwifuru, described the flag-off as another bold step towards food security, sustainable rural development and economic growth in the state.

The governor commended IFAD- VCDP, particularly the National Programme Coordinator, Dr. Fatima Aliyu, for their continued partnership, which he said has empowered thousands of farmers and uplifted rural communities across Ebonyi State.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment towards ensuring food security and sufficiency, he noted that dry-season farming has become a vital source of income and stability for farmers, which he said also aligns with his vision of increased productivity, stronger value chains and rural prosperity.

He urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the inputs and equipment by adopting improved farming technologies, work collectively through cooperatives and treat agriculture as a business to ensure abundant food supply for Ebonyi State and Nigeria at large.

The national coordinator of FGN/IFAD-VCDP, Dr. Fatima Aliyu stated that VCDP has executed so many projects including building of 20 markets, toilet facilities, 20 solar powered boreholes ,12 cassava and rice processing centres, 21 mini-bridges to facilitate trade and investment among others as well as training of farmers on dry season farming in the state.

She added that the VCDP has reached out to over 23,000 farmers in the state since inception and has provided over 664 rice and cassava processors across Ohaukwu, Ishielu, Izzi, Ezza North, Ikwo, Ohaozara, Ivo and Afikpo North local government areas of the state.

Dr. Aliyu commended Governor Nwifuru’s support especially clearing the backlogs of counterpart fund and appreciated the farmers for their resilience and dedication to the actualization of the VCDP projects.

The state coordinator, IFAD-VCDP, Chief Sunday Micheal Ituma maintained that the state is presently pioneering dry season farming at Ikwo and other parts of the state.

He commended the state governor for the release of initial counterpart fund of N100m in 2023, release of 2024 annual counterpart fund contribution of N200m, noting that over 230 direct employment would be created and other associated indirect benefits through this year’s equipment distribution.

The commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mrs. Nkechinyere Iyioku noted that the programme is a sustained investment in repositioning agriculture as a driver of economic growth in the state.