By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
Taraba State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Professor Nicholas Namessan, has commended the quality of projects executed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development Value Chain Development programme in the state.
Namessan disclosed this while commissioning the solar-powered borehole constructed by the project to service the state veterinary clinic and Whale Houses in Jalingo.
The Commissioner, who is also the Chairman of the Project Steering Committee said Agbu Kefas, has placed priority on Agriculture to ensure that it became the main stay of the Taraba economy.
Namessan has earlier at the steering committee meeting, told the stakeholders, drawn from various relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to continue to support the project to enhance the chances of its sustainability, even after the intervention period.
He also urged the project management team to guard against any form of diversion to ensure that the interventions get to the rightful beneficiaries, especially the rural farmers.
Mr Irimiya Musa, the State Programme Coordinator (SPC), thanked the steering committee members for the useful suggestions made at the meeting.
“I am overwhelmed by the wonderful contributions made by members of the steering committee on measures to make the implementation simpler and better.
“We have been holding steering committee meetings since the inception of the project in 2015, but this is the most robust because the current members are mostly experts in the agriculture sector and their experiences will help the project achieve greater successes,” he said.
Musa commended Gov. Kefas for the prompt payment of the counterpart funding, saying the gesture has ensured timely implementation of the designed activities for the benefit of the people.
Isa Muhammed, a beneficiary of VCDP intervention from Gassol Local Government area, said the project has turned him into a successful farmer.
Muhammed said he has been trained on best agronomic practices, financial management and how to market his products, saying VCDP was the best thing that has come to their community.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that VCDP is intervening to improve rice and cassava production, processing and marketing in Jalingo, Wukari, Karim-Lamido, Ardo-Kola, Takum, Bali, Donga, and Gassol Local Government Councils of the state.
