The United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD is initiating the Public-Private-Producers-Partnership, 4Ps model to increase the productivity of cassava and rice farmers under its value chain development project.

Speaking at a roundtable meeting with rice, cassava farmers and key players in the private sectors in Abuja, IFAD Associate Vice-President and General Counsel, Katherine Meighan outlined the benefits of the 4Ps model.

With particular interest in increasing productivity in cassava and rice value chains, integrate innovations in food production, Meighan said adoption of climate resilient agriculture will ensure food availability and increase production across the two identified value chains.

The IFAD Vice President also outlined measures to adopt with private sector involvement for value addition.

Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammad Abubakar, insists that private sector participation in food production remains key to boosting access to innovation and market for smallholder farmers.

The Nigerian Government and IFAD joint-financed Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, is targeting 135,000 farmers in Niger, Taraba, Ogun, Benue, Ebonyi, Anambra, Kogi, Nasarawa and Enugu states.

As this year’s farming season sets in, the Federal Government has been called upon to provide adequate and robust security for rural farmers in Katsina State and across the nation.

The Chairman, Coalition Of Civil Society Organizations in the state, Abdulrahman Abdullahi, made this call while speaking on the current state of the nation.

Also Read: Police kill 5 bandits in Katsina State

He said, the appeal is coming on the heels of the declaration made by Governor Aminu Masari, that in the year 2020, more than 50,000 hectares of land were not cultivated in the state, due to the activities of bandits.

The over 50,000 hectares of uncultivated land, according to Masari, are within the ten local government areas, bedevilled by banditry.

This is because, about 90 per cent of the entire population of Katsina people are farmers, either commercial or subsistent.

According to Masari, the incident alone, made the output of farmers drop drastically in the year 2020.

He hopes for a better farming outing this year.

He added that the government is doing all things possible, to ensure peace and security returns to the troubled areas.

To avoid a recurrence of the loss of agricultural land to non-cultivation, the coalition of Civil Society Organizations’ Chairman, Abdulrahman Abdullahi is calling on the Federal Government to secure the farmers, in order to motivate them back to their farmlands.

He added that, if adequate measure is not taken in this regards, hunger, famine, food insecurity, as well as an increase in criminal activities will be on the rise, as most farmers are now abandoning their communities to a safer place, mostly, within the urban areas.

Although there is a relative reduction in the attacks on communities in the last 3 months, the call on the Federal government to do the needful, will further serve as a morale booster, for farmers to return to their communities and farmlands, without fear of being abducted or killed, while working on their farmlands.

( Editor, Omor Bazuaye)

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has ordered the security agencies in the state to investigate the recent clash between herdsmen and farmers in the Yewa area of the state that led to the loss of a life and destruction of properties.

In a Press Statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, on Saturday in Abeokuta, Governor Dapo Abiodun has also set up a Special Task Force that will maintain presence in all areas of the state prone to herders/farmers conflict to maintain peace and quickly respond to any form of violence or crimes.

“The government is immediately setting up a joint security patrol team / task force involving all security agencies in the state to not only deal with the situation, but to also nip in the bud any threat to violence or criminality”, the governor was quoted as saying, adding “our first priority in Ogun State is the safety of lives and properties of everyone, and we will not compromise on that”

Governor Abiodun who gave the order in Abeokuta at the end of the state Security Council meeting, also directed that those behind the recent violence in Eggua in Yewa North area local government area of the State should be brought to justice.

“We will not condone any act of criminality in the state no matter who is involved. The police and other security agencies have been directed to go after the perpetrators of this act and bring them to book. We will not allow anybody to disrupt the peace in Ogun State, and anyone who tries to test our resolve to maintain peace in our state will have himself or herself to blame”, the governor said.

While commiserating with the family of the deceased, Governor Abiodun also expressed his sympathy to those who lost their farmlands as well as cows during the unfortunate incident.
“Our State is known for being a haven of peace, security and harmonious relationship amongst people of different ethnic groups whether citizens or settlers who consider the State their home.

This is a long and cherished tradition that we are proud of and which this Administration is committed to sustain. We therefore condemn in strong terms the recent unfortunate violence orchestrated by certain elements by whipping up and capitalising on divisive ethnic sentiments to perpetrate an agenda that is inimical to public security and safety,” the Governor further said.

While recalling the efforts of the state government to ensure the sustenance of the age-long peaceful co-existence between the local farmers and the herdsmen, the governor has convened an expansive stakeholders’ meeting to hold next week, involving farmers, herdsmen and other stakeholders to bring about a lasting peace.

“Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased and those who lost their properties in the needles violence. This Administration is determined to end this unfortunate cycle of violence and we are hopeful that all the inclusive Stakeholders’ meeting will identify specific and practical initiatives that will achieve the desired end.

In the meantime, all residents of the State are enjoined to continue to go about their lawful businesses and report any strange movements or threats to peace in their neighbourhoods to the security agencies who have been put on red alert to respond swiftly and act decisively”, the statement concluded.