EBONYI STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE VISITS IFAD AND FERTILIZER COMPANY FOR IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY
Ebonyi State has emerged as one of the three states that qualified for the Project Performance Evaluation due to the implementation of IFAD projects.
The State Programme Coordinator of IFAD Value chain development Programme, Dr. Michael Sunday Ituma announced this to the Ebonyi State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources during their oversight function visit to IFAD VCDP Office.
Dr. Ituma revealed that the other states that joined Ebonyi include Enugu and Abuja and that the IFAD team will arrive at Ebonyi on the 16th of June, 2025 for an assessment that will last for a week and thanked the Ebonyi State Governnor Rt Hon Francis Ogbonnia Nwifuru for providing and paying all the needed counterpart funds and added that Ebonyi is fully prepared for the evaluation and assured of its success.
Dr. Ituma said that the selection of Ebonyi was done at Rome, the headquarters of IFAD adding that the composition of all components as provided in the manual work and budgets has been met by Ebonyi State. And these include Infrastructure with mini bridges, culverts, roads, land developments and opening of lands for people to farm, It have also gave supports to farmers by giving them farm inputs such as fertilizers, Agro Chemicals, Improved seedlings, and also engaged in capacity building training of farmers which include the over 17,000 farmers which have gone a long way to increase the production output for rice and cassava.
He concluded that the programme has injected over #17bn into the economy of the state and then wanted the State’ House of Assembly to give IFAD a robust partnership in terms of making laws that will be favourable to farmers.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon Onyebuchi Ogbadu representing Ivo Constituency Commended the programme Cordinator for his activities at IFAD which has increased the productivity and income of operators along the value chains of rice and cassava adding that the oversight function was to know the Programmes of IFAD in this farming season.
While commending the performances of IFAD in the 8 Local Government Areas they covers in Ebonyi State’, Hon Ogbadu requested the cordinator to increase its coverage to the remaining local governments of the state.
Other members of the Committee that spoke include Hon Arinze Lucas Chukwu representing Ishielu South Constituency, Hon Chief Abiri Godwin Abiri representing Izzi West Constituency, Hon Steve Orji Igwe from Edda East, and Hon Joseph Ununu representing Abakaliki South Constituency all commended IFAD for assisting Ebonyi farmers and urged them to work hard for the success of forthcoming evaluation programme of IFAD in the state.
In a remark, the Knowledge Management and Communication Consultant of IFAD_VCDP Abuja, Mr. Obinna Chukwuezie lauded the Ebonyi State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture saying it was first of its kind to have such supports and rapport from legislative arm in Nigeria.
In the same vain, the Ebonyi State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture equally paid similar visit to the Ebonyi Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited where the chairman Hon Onyebuchi Ogbadu talked on their safety and Internal control measures to avoid leakages of their products.
He extolled the appointments of credible people into the company which will be of great impact on the production capacity of the company describing the fertilizer blending Company as the bedrock of the revenue of the state.
Responding, the chairman of Ebonyi Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited Board Hon Bar Eni Uduma Chima thanked the committee for the visit and assured them that the company will work harder for the benefit of the people.
He equally added that the main problem they are facing is the relocation of agro dealers to the central market to checkmate the adulteration of the product.
