Agriculture
IFAD Trains Anglophone Countries On Financial Management
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Wednesday trained 130 persons from Anglophone countries in West and Central Africa on financial management.
The Country Director, IFAD, Dr Dede Ekoue, said this in Abuja at the first regional workshop on Financial Management of IFAD-Funded projects for Anglophone countries in West and Central Africa (WCA).
The Tide’s source said participants were drawn from Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
According to Ekoue, the training was organised by the organisation’s Financial Management Division (FMD).
She said it was to provide effective and sustainable support for the financed projects to improve the living conditions of three-quarters of the global population living below extreme poverty.
“The primary objectives of the workshop are to discuss the practical implementation of the reforms, specifically the interim financial report and disbursements.
“The workshop objectives are noble if we are to fulfill our mandate, while also ensuring value for money that improves the quality and standard of living and livelihoods of the most vulnerable communities and smallholder farmers.
“Smallholder farmers are central to IFAD’s strategic objectives and mandates”, she said.
Ekoue stated that the current portfolio of IFAD’s WCA region consists of 62 programmes in 23 countries, with a total financing of approximately four billion dollars of which the organisation contributes approximately 1.9billion US dollars.
In a remark, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, identified West and Central Africa as a region of great diversity and potential.
Umakhihe, who was represented by the Director, Planning and Policy Coordination of the ministry, Mr Tanimu Ibrahim, stated that the region is home to about 400million people, of whom about 60 per cent live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood.
He said agriculture is also a key contributor to the region’s economic growth, trade, and food security.
Umakhihe said the region also faces many constraints, such as climate change, conflict, instability, poverty, inequality, malnutrition, and disease.
These challenges, according to him, required concerted and coordinated efforts from all stakeholders, including governments, regional organisations, development partners, civil society, and the private sector.
This training is very timely and relevant. Through it participants will gain new knowledge and skills on how to manage financial resources better.
“As you all know, agriculture is a key driver of our economy, contributing about 25 per cent of our GDP and employing about 70 per cent of our labour force.
“Finance management is essential for ensuring, accountability, and value for money in our agricultural programmes and projects”, he said.
The Project Coordinator for the Agriculture Value Chain Project in Sierra Leone and a participant, Monica Kwame-Greene, described financial management as key for any project.
“It is key. We know the best practices, and also to be able to manage funds that are for rural poor.
“We are here to learn how to manage these funds that are in the hands of the donors to the benefit of our people in different countries”, she said.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.
