The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), is set to support 150 Ebonyi state farmers in dry season agricultural production.
IFAD-VCDP State Programme Coordinator, Mr Sunday Ituma disclosed this at the flag off of the 2023/24 dry season farming at Odomowo, Inyimegu in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi state.
Ituma noted that the flag-off was one of the activities from 2023 brought forward into 2024 and availed attendees the opportunity to witness the dry season cluster program in Ikwo.
He said: “The benefiting 150 farmers are expected to cultivate 150 hectares of land.
“IFAD-VCDP will support the benefiting groups and individuals within the groups with four bags of NPK and two bags of urea fertilizers. They will also be supported with two litres of herbicides (selective and non-selective) alongside capacity building in dry season farming.”
He also shared that the program has supplied 10 sets of solar-powered irrigation pumps to address issues related to providing gasoline for water pumps.
“The water pumps have been confirmed functional and we are expecting technical experts who will fabricate free-energy water pumps to draw water from the river,” He added.