Agric valuation: FIDA-VCDP, NiMet sign MoU

The International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Program (IFAD-VCDP) and the Meteorological Agency of Nigeria (NiMet) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for sustainability and improvement of agriculture in the country. 

Professor Mansur Matazu, Managing Director of NiMet, during the ceremony in Abuja, said that the IFAD-VCDP and NiMet project would allow the agency to have direct contact with the main farmers as well as the change agent. climate change at the community level.

Matazu stressed that weather and climate forecasts are very important for the agency to facilitate monitoring of forecast performance for farmers as well as feedback.

He added that the agency through the partnership would be aware of the farmers’ demand.

The Director-General noted that the agency had set up a technical committee for the implementation of the project.

According to him, “It has been established at the Global Elevation for Weather Information for Agriculture that agriculture improves yield by over 80 per cent.

“Therefore, the climate risk can be reduced by 90% under this partnership. Our partnership with IFAD-VCDP is great in helping us fulfil some of our mandates.

“We need to reach out to farmers, especially the grassroots, and some partners who are already on the ground.

“The partnership allows us to do the downscaling activities smoothly, we use this platform to provide services to farmers easily and to you.”

Previously, Alhaji Garba Bala, coordinator of the national IFAD-VCDP program, indicated that the project will be piloted in nine states, including Anambra, Ebonyi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Taraba, Niger, Benue, Ogun and Enugu.

Bala said the VCDP program was targeting the poorest of poor farmers cultivating less than one hectare of land.

He identified climate-related issues and support as a key performance indicator for the VCDP project, describing the partnership as timely due to the onset of the rainy season.

Bala said the project will provide weather information to farmers in the VCDP.

According to him, the MoU is to secure a technical assistant from NiMet on climate information for farmers to boost rice and cassava production in target states.