KOGI APPEALS

KOGI APPEALS Facilitate the distribution of farm inputs and Equipment to 515 Rice Farmers.

As part of efforts to boost rice production in Kogi State, the World Bank Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project has again distributed input to 515 rice farmers in five communities in three local government areas of the state.

Addressing the farmers during an interactive meeting and the official flag-off of input and equipment distribution to rice farmers at Owara community in Lokoja local government area on Tuesday, the Kogi state co-ordinator of Appeals project Dr Sanni Abdullahi Ozomata, said the intervention is aimed at enhancing the productivity of the farmers in rice production.

He revealed that the 2022 rating of states across the country that produced rice, Kogi state came second, stressing that Appeals project would continue to support rice farmers to sustained the position and even become first in 2023 rating.

He stated that 75 rice farmers have been carefully selected from Owara community, 90 farmers in Kumgbani, 120 in Tsanawa all in Lokoja LGA while 120 in Panda, Kogi LGA and 110 in Osara Dam, Okehi local government to benefit from the 2023 wet season farming.

The state coordinator charged the beneficiaries to take the advantage of agricultural interventions of the government to generate income to enhanced their livelihood.

Ozomata who warned the farmers against selling the inputs, said the project will continue to monitor the activities of the farmer to ensure that the inputs are judiciously utilized.

The Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture , David Apeh in his remark, said the impact of Appeals project in Kogi state has paid off with many rice, cassava and cashew farmers smiling to the banks through the timely intervention of the project.

While commending Kogi state Governor Yahaya Bello for his love and concern for farmers in the state, the Commissioner urged farmers in Owara and other benefiting communities of the wet season farming input distribution to justify government effort by utilizing the items to enhance their productivity.

The traditional ruler of Owara community, Saidu Aliyu Adoga while commending the officials of the Appeals project and the Kogi state government for their effort in reaching out to the farmers in his domain , the monarch promised to set up a motoring committee within the community that will ensure that the beneficiaries of the intervention will utilize the input to advance the cause of massive rice production in Owara community.

He warned that sanctions awaits any rice farmer who divert or sell the input for any season, urging them to use the items for high yield at the end of the wet season.
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As this year's planting season approaches fast, KOGI APPEALS has commenced the conduct of profiling and development of needs assessment of prospective farmers under the value chains of rice, cashew and cassava and across the segments of production, processing and marketing in readiness for the year 2023 farming season.

The objective of the activity is to enable the project identify real famers along the different segments and value chains with the aim of facilitating the right support to increase their productivity.

The support facilitated would be the provision of farm inputs and equipment, training and manpower development, Haulage facilities and processing materials to enhance the productivity of farmers, processors and marketers.