Naijacentral Naijacentral
By Naijacentral
The Amede Autonomous Community in Eha-Amufu, Enugu State, has commended the International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) for improving the livelihoods of rural farmers.
The community made the commendation at a civic reception, held on Tuesday in honour of the Enugu State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Dr Edward Isiwu.
In a speech at the event, a member of the Organising Committee, Mr Victor Odoabuchi, said the ceremony was a platform to express the community’s appreciation for IFAD-VCDP interventions.
Odoabuchi also said that the programme had brought meaningful development to the community and improved rural farmers’ welfare.
“It is with great joy and deep appreciation that I stand before you today, on behalf of the good people of Amede, to welcome everyone to this reception in honour of Dr Edward Isiwu.
“This gathering reflects our profound gratitude for the remarkable gesture and impactful intervention of the IFAD programme in our community.
“Today’s event is not merely a reception; it is a celebration of meaningful collaboration and the positive transformation that the programme has brought to Amede,” he said.
According to him, IFAD-VCDP commenced operations in Amede in 2021 through the support Prof. Hillary Edeoga, with sensitisation and mobilisation of farmers, leading to the registration of active participants.
Odoabuchi listed several achievements of the programme in the community to include the construction of wells, establishment of a functional rice mill and development of 50 hectares of farmland for cultivation.
He said that the programme also constructed two culverts and a mini-bridge linking farming communities, thereby improving access to farmlands and neighbouring villages.
He further said that farmers had benefited from the distribution of agro-inputs, such as fertilisers, herbicides, improved seeds and equipment, including tricycles, water pumping machines, cassava processing machines, threshers and winnowers.
He said that IFAD-VCDP had also provided training programmes for farmers on Good Agricultural Practices, business plan development and nutrition-based cooking techniques.
A farmer in the community, Chief Matthias Edeh, acknowledged the programme’s positive impact but appealed for the repair of a damaged Onu-Uro culvert that was making movement difficult for farmers during the rainy season.
Edeh also called for additional support to fully equip the rice mill to enhance rice processing in the community.
Another farmer, Mr James Ibeh, urged the programme to establish irrigation facilities to enable farmers to cultivate rice during the dry season.
Responding, Isiwu expressed appreciation for the honour bestowed on him and the programme by the community.
He described the gesture as a demonstration that IFAD-VCDP interventions were making meaningful impacts on rural communities.
“I feel so elated by this community.
“Many communities appreciate what we do, but this one decided to organise a special reception.
“The people have shown us that the projects executed here are working and being put to good use,” he said.
Isiwu said that IFAD-VCDP had constructed a rice mill, mini-bridges, a market and an aggregation centre in the community, as well as developed 50 hectares of farmland.
He also said that the programme was exploring the introduction of mini-irrigation schemes to support dry-season rice farming in the area due to the availability of water bodies.
He told the community that some of their requests had already been captured in the programme’s annual work plan and budget and would be implemented as approved.
Isiwu said the programme remained committed to improving farmers’ productivity and sustaining livelihoods in rural communities across the state.
