IFAD Assesses VCDP Progress at Greentech Integrated Farms in Ebonyi
By Nkechinyere Ewa
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has assessed the progress and achievements of farmers benefiting from its Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) in Ebonyi State, with beneficiaries calling for modern processing equipment to boost agricultural production and value addition.
The IFAD team, led by its Country Director, Mohammed El-Ghazaly, on Thursday visited Greentech Integrated Farms Ltd at Ekebeligwe Ndieze, Izzi Local Government Area, to evaluate the activities of Greentech Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd and assess the impact of the organisation’s support on rural agriculture.
Speaking during the visit, the Chairman of Greentech Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd, Cynthia Nnenna Edeze, said IFAD’s intervention had transformed her agricultural business from small-scale farming into an expanding integrated enterprise.
Edeze, who said she joined the programme in 2016, explained that she received training in cassava seed multiplication and good agronomic practices at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia State, alongside support for land preparation and farm inputs.
She said the knowledge and assistance enabled her to expand cassava cultivation from one hectare to eight hectares, while the cooperative established a mini cassava processing unit to address difficulties in selling fresh cassava and reduce post-harvest losses.
According to her, the cooperative has diversified into pig farming, greenhouse vegetable production, fish farming and maggot production, using waste from cassava processing and pig farming to support other agricultural activities.
Edeze disclosed that the cooperative currently employs 15 permanent workers and 20 casual labourers, while supporting other farmers through its Community Agricultural Support Programme.
Under the initiative, she said, the cooperative provides farmers with cash and agricultural inputs to cultivate land according to their capacity, recovers its principal after harvest, and allows the farmers to retain the profits.
She said the initiative was designed to empower rural farmers, increase household income and ensure a steady supply of cassava to the cooperative’s processing centre.
However, Edeze appealed to the government to support the cooperative with integrated cassava processing machines to improve efficiency and meet growing customer demand.
She explained that much of the processing was still done manually, limiting production capacity, and called for equipment that would enable the cooperative to expand into the production of starch, ethanol, flour and other cassava derivatives.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the IFAD-VCDP Women’s Network in the local government, Mrs Felicia Nweze, commended IFAD-VCDP for improving the capacity and productivity of women farmers through training, farm inputs and improved agricultural practices.
Nweze said the programme had helped farmers expand their cultivated land, adopt improved seed varieties and maintain proper farm records, which were previously lacking.
In his remarks, El-Ghazaly said the team was in Ebonyi State to assess the progress of VCDP and examine the project’s implementation as it approaches completion in December.
“We are also here to look at how the project will be completed in a few months’ time, as we will be closing in December,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to the Ebonyi State Government for releasing counterpart funds for the programme and urged farmers to sustain the implementation of the agricultural practices and skills acquired through the intervention.
The team also held discussions with cooperative members and other rural farmers in Ndieze on their experiences, achievements and challenges.
The supervision mission is expected to continue until October 21.