NAN-AE-5
Tillers
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Abakaliki, Jan. 10, 2017 (NAN) The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has distributed power tilling machines to 25 cooperative societies in Ebonyi.
Mr Sunday Ituma, the Project Coordinator in the state, made the assertion in Abakaliki on Wednesday while distributing the machines to the beneficiaries.
Ituma said that each equipment worth over N800, 000 would mitigate mechanisation challenges faced by farmers in the cultivation of rice and cassava.
“We have realised that the cost of tractors would be exorbitant for our farmers and this made us to seek small, affordable equipment to do the same level of work such as tractors.
“This is in areas of land preparation, ploughing, harrowing rice fields and we identified power tillers which are used in advanced countries of the world.
“The power tillers are however, distributed to the beneficiaries on a marching grant arrangement with IFAD-VCDP contributing 70 per cent, while the benefiting groups would contribute 30 per cent,’’ he said.
The coordinator said that IFAD-VCDP would continue owning the equipment until the groups complete their payments after signing a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the project.
“The MOU stipulates that they will not sell the equipment or use them in other states but for their members, other cluster members and as a source of revenue.
“We have made provisions to procure more power tillers in our 2018 budget as we are also distributing 50 knap-sack sprayers to the groups for good agro chemical practices.
“Seven hundred and fifty individuals from these groups have been selected and trained by experts from the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on the use of these sprayers, especially for safety purpose,’’ he said.
Ituma said that the project was also distributing smart weather devices to appropriately guide the beneficiaries on the right periods for fertilizer application.
“We realised that our farmers do not have sufficient information on fertilizer application as the devices can forecast days to expect rainfall on a 10km radius, for appropriate application.
“Any beneficiary who sells the equipment will be prosecuted as they will be entrusted in the hands of group focal persons for adequate care and responsibility,’’ he said.
Chief Ogodo-Ali Nome, the Ebonyi Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, commended IFAD-VCDP for its contributions in realising agricultural objectives of the government.
Nome promised that government would set a committee to monitor activities of all agricultural groups in the state to ensure that the equipment were not sold or mortgaged.
“The committee will identify and ensure the prosecution of those engaged in such an act,’’ he said.
Prof. Ndubisi Idenyi, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Agricultural Services, urged the beneficiaries to use the equipment in achieving the desired cultivation methods.
Miss Loveth Okafor, one of the beneficiaries commended IFAD-VCDP for the gesture and pledged on behalf of others to judiciously utilise the equipment. (NAN)
RCO/MNA/PDE
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(Edited by Maureen Atuonwu/Peter Ejiofor)