IFAD-VCDP commends Gov Kefas over steps to revolutionise agriculture in Taraba
By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
Taraba State Programme Coordinator, International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD)’s Value Chain Development programme, Mr. Irimiya Musa, on Saturday commended Governor Agbu Kefas, over noticeable positive changes in the Ministry of Agriculture within a short time in office.
Musa made the commendation at the end of a two-day training workshop for IFAD- VCDP staff from nine states of the federation on Crop Area Yield Survey (CAYS) in rice and cassava production for 2023 in Jalingo.
According to him, the governor’s steps such as changing of the name from Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security would reposition it for greater Productivity.
“I want to commend Gov. Kefas for the practical steps so far taken to revolutionise agriculture in the state.
“Steps such as changing the name from Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to Ministry of Agriculture and food Security and appointment of a professor of Agriculture Engineering, Professor Nicholas Namessan, as Commissioner awaiting inauguration are turning points for the ministry,” he said.
Musa lauded the efforts of the participants from the VCDP states including Enugu, Nasarawa, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Kogi and Taraba for traversing long distances to the key training that would help in enhancing food security.
According to him, accurate data on crop yield was very important for future planning for greater Productivity.
On his part, Alhaji Lawal Tafida, the IFAD-VCDP Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser, told the participants to constantly share knowledge on CAYS with through field visits and social media platforms to strengthen the performance of all the intervening states.
Professor Bashir Sani, one of the four professors, who anchored the training charged the staff to be committed to ensuring that the best agronomic practices where always observed by farmers in their areas for better yields.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the team comprising Taraba SPC, Consultants, monitoring and Evaluation officers, Management Information Officers, journalists among others visited a VCDP cassava farm at Kopi, Gassol local government area of Taraba, where practical demonstration of CAYS was conducted.
