The Anambra State Coordination Office of the FGN IFAD VCDP has launched an extensive monitoring program of pre-season stepdown training across eight participating council areas. This initiative follows the recently concluded Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop in Awka, designed to impart best agronomic practices to Anambra farmers, thereby ensuring food security.
At the Orumba South Local Government Area Secretariat in Umunze, 15 lead farmers from various clusters were trained by Mrs. Caroline Ngaubadi, an Extension Agent for Orumba South. She emphasized the importance of sourcing quality rice seeds and cassava cuttings and advised on optimal site selection for farming.
In Orumba North, at the Council Area Secretariat in Ajalli, Mrs. Ngozi Nwankwo, the Extension Agent for the area, instructed lead farmers on best agronomic practices. She highlighted the importance of weather forecasts in planning farm activities and stressed the benefits of farm insurance.
Dr. Mrs. Deborah Onyefulu, the Acting State Programme Coordinator for FGN IFAD VCDP, reaffirmed their commitment to continuously enhance farmers’ capacities in new agricultural trends. Represented by Mr. Joseph Okonkwor, the State Assistant Agric Production Officer, she urged farmers to procure inputs from certified agro-dealers and apply them correctly for optimal yields.
Participants, including Mr. Augustine Uba and Mrs. Bridget Orji from Ufuma, Mr. Nnaemeka Ijeoma from Ndikelionwu, and Chief Anthony Okoli from Umunze, expressed gratitude to FGN IFAD VCDP for the training. They promised to implement the new techniques on their farms and share the knowledge with their communities.
Mrs. Ifeoma Okeke, leader of the Ezira Cluster, praised the training but appealed to the Anambra State Government to address the issues caused by the newly constructed Ezira-Umuomaku Road. She reported that a blocked culvert intended to discharge floodwaters into Aghommili River has caused flooding in their farms.
The training sessions included interactive Q&A segments, allowing farmers to address their concerns and gain further insights.
