Some beneficiaries of the International Fund for Agriculture Development – Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) in Kogi who were affected by flood, have shared their success stories as a result of the VCDP intervention.
A youth farmer, Salihu Abdullahi, whose farm land was destroyed by flood, thanked the management of the VCDP in Kogi, for their quick intervention in cushioning the negative effects of flood on his household.
Abdullahi was among the farmers from the Magajiya cluster, Lokoja, supported by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) under its Value Chain Development pProgramme (VCDP) in Kogi.
Speaking to our Correspondent on his success story on Wednesday day in Lokoja, Abdullahi said the intervention by VCDP in the aftermath of flood that destroyed his farmland, had enhanced his wellbeing and livelihood.
“I was one of Kogi farmers who the VCDP had earlier supported, but my farm land was destroyed by flood and I lost everything. Infact, it was a terrible moment for me and other farmers that period of time, it was so bad that some farmers ended up in the hospital because we lost everything then.
“The IFAD/VCDP team came and inspected the devastated farmland by the flood, and supported me again through its ‘Flood Recovery Inputs’ with rice seeds, fertilizer, chemicals, water pump and other farm inputs,” Abdullahi said.
He added that through the VCDP’s intervention, he was able to cultivate another farm land which resulted into a bumper harvest for him. As a determined youth farmer I did not give up because I was properly trained by VCDP to be focused in all situation.
“I engaged in dry season planting and by the special grace of God, I was able to come out with something very great , I harvested almost 89 bags of 100 kg of rice paddy , so I
increased my farmland from one hectare to about five hectares.
“We are happy that the VCDP came to our aid, we are going home with gladness and good development in our community.
“We thanked the VCDP for giving us the opportunity to cover up for our losses to flood. Our hope is renewed!,” he said
Abdullahi added: “From the sale of the farm proceeds, I was able to establish a mini supermarket for my wife where she sells commodities, which is now a another source of income for my family.
“I have also, from the remaining money realized from the farm proceeds, bought more rice seeds as plough back, and I have been engaging in both wet and dry season rice farming.
“I thank Kogi IFAD/ VCDP for coming to my aid when I thought all hope was gone. Their intervention has improved the wellbeing and livelihood of myself and household.”
Another flood victim, Mrs Asibi Omale from Ibaji Local Government Area, commended the VCDP for their immediate intervention when her farmland was destroyed by flood.
According to her, she lost everything to flood including all their properties, houses and farmlands were submerged and destroyed by the flood.
“We were hopeless and devastated because we lost everything, we had no where to stay but inside water, we always lost our lives.
“But we are very grateful to the VCDP for coming to our rescue, we thank them for giving us hope and wiping away our tears by supporting us with another inputs to engage in dry season farming.
“Today, our story has changed through the intervention of the VCDP. VCDP is a God sent programme to wipe away tears from the faces of the rural farmers and the general public; it is very real.
“We now have several hectares of rice farmlands in our cluster ready for harvest aside from the ones we harvested , Our hope has come alive through the VCDP’s intervention,” Omale said.
The farmers commended Gov. Yahaya Bello for bringing the IFAD-VCDP programmes to the door step of rural farmers in the state.
They expressed their gratitude to the Federal Government, the State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Dr Stella Adejoh, and her management team for reaching out to farmers at the grassroots.
They stressed that the programme had empowered rural farmers and small holder farmers to stem the tide of poverty, hunger and starvation thereby boosting their livelihoods.