215 N’Delta Youths Acquire New Farming Techinques

The Community Based National Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP) in the Niger Delta funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Federal Government and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it has trained 215 women and youths in the use of improved crop varieties and modern farming implements in the first half of this year.

The National Coordinator of the programme, Mrs Irene Jumbo-Ibeakuzie disclosed this last weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State while reviewing the activities of the establishment at the 3rd IFAD, FGN and NDDC supervision mission.

She also said that 147.38 hecters of land was cultivated in 75 communities to improve crops varieties with cassava, Rice, Plantain vegetable, palm oil, Cocoa; maize and yam.

Mrs Jumbo-Ibeakuzie further stated that 32 livestock enterprises out of the annual target of 450 were established in various areas such as Goatry, piggry, poultry and Grass-cutter within the period under review.

According to her, Small scale cassava, oil and rice processing enterprises were establishing in 20 communities of the participating state of Niger Delta region in order to increase the income of rural dwellers and also improve their equipment and technique of food production.

The programme Coordinator noted that the capacity building and training programme conducted for agricultural best practices in the communities were aimed at building the capacity of rural dwellers and service provide so as to be able to establish their respective initiatives.

Mrs Jumbo-Ibeakuzie said that the development led to the establishment of 634 operational groups which adopted the community Development Driven (CDD) approaches in identifying their needs.

She further disclosed that the agency received 1,081,261.96 million US Dollars and N75,982.84 millions respectively from IFAD and eight out of the nine states in the Niger Delta.

Similarly, Mr. Jumbo-Ibeakuzie said that NDDC paid backlog of funds owned for a longtime in May this year, adding that the fund was released almost at the end of planting season.

Describing fund as the greatest challenge of the agency said that many states have not paid counterpart fund while some local government have not paid a kobo within the period under review.

Isaac Nwankwo