IFAD-VCDP made us landlords, millionaires— Niger beneficiaries
By Felicia Imohimi
Some beneficiaries of the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) in Niger say they have become millionaires and landlords through the scheme.
The farmers in Ezhigi community, Edati Local Government Area, spoke on the sidelines of media tour of FG/IFAD-VCDP project in some communities in Niger.
They said their income, livelihood and children’s educational standard had improved through the intervention of the dry season farming programme.
Mr Jubril Haruna, rice farmer and processor, said that prior to the intervention of IFAD-VCDP in 2020, he relied on his father for survival- both feeding and accommodation.
He said they were trained on good agronomical practices, how to prepare nursery bed, transplanting and proper application of fertiliser.
Haruna said they were provided with tiller machines, subsidised fertilisers, solar powered irrigation pumping machines, among others.
He said that initially, they only farmed during rainy season which was one season annually and in small scale which was unsustainable.
Haruna said at the moment, they could farm all year round in large scale, had enhanced income and build brick houses instead of mud.
He said that at the moment, he was able to build a standard house with bricks, set up a processing facility, raised his children’s educational standard and became a millionaire through the intervention.
“IFAD-VCDP provided us with solar panel water pump as against fuel pumping machine we were using initially.
“I bought additional three panels to enhance my irrigation farming which is the sustainable means of agriculture.
“The programme also provided us with improved seedlings Faro 44 which is more profitable than the former ones we were cultivating traditionally.
“Through this improved seedlings, we do realise 80 bags to 100 bags of 100kg per hectares as against 30 bags to 40 bags we used to realise prior to the intervention,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Mohammed Usman, listed some interventions received as training on how to prepare nursery bed, transplanting and provision of tiller machines for soil excavation before transplanting.
He said they were provided with fertilisers, solar powered pumping machines, among others.
Usman, who was living in his father’s house prior to the intervention, said he had become a landlord.
He described their traditional method of farming as cumbersome, strenuous and less productive.
“With VCDP we are moving forward; we now know more about dry season farming and its enormous benefits.
“IFAD-VCDP gave us solar powered water pumping machines which put an end to huge expenses on diesel and fuel to pump water.
“They trained us on good agronomical practices and gaps training on rainy and season farming,” he said.
Usman, who lauded IFAD-VCDP for its transformative intervention to the entire community, said it had improved their lives economically, morally and otherwise.
He said that before the intervention, most houses in the community were built with mud due to scarce resources.
“IFAD-VCDP has transformed lives economically, social and otherwise to the extent that almost everyone now own modern houses built with bricks.
“We have benefited a lot and our children know attend standard schools.
“I can comfortably do any business irrespective of cost; I can farm three to four hectares across seasons through their support,’’ he said.
Mrs Hadiza Isah, State Programme Coordinator, IFAD-VCDP, Niger, said the visit was to document the success story of farmers that VCDP had supported since its inception in 2020.
Isah said before the intervention, the farmers cultivated between half hectare to two hectares per person.
She said that through the support, they expanded their farms to three to four hectares per farmer.
According to her, farmers in the community can now boast of 6.5 metric tonnes to seven tonnes per hectare.
“When we notice the volume of rice produced in the community and the challenges of processing, we provided them with processing unit or facility.
“The objective of VCDP is to sustainably enhance rural incomes and food security.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo
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