The International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) has concluded its stakeholder’s consultation on the second National Nigeria-IFAD Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP 2024-2029).
IFAD will complete the COSOP 2016 -2023 by December, where it has supported the formulation of policies driving the country’s agricultural sector, such as Nigeria Food System Transformation Pathways, National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy and National Extension Policy.
The 2016-2023 COSOP Programmes also supported 5.1 million beneficiaries which is made up of 55 per cent women; 59 per cent youth across the 6 geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
It also supported formation of Farmers Organizations; Marketing groups Community Development Associations (CDAs), Financial Savings Associations (FSAs), and Commodity Alliance Forums (CAFs), Agricultural Market Information Systems (AMIS).
COSOP is a framework for making strategic choices about IFAD operations in a country, identifying opportunities for IFAD financing and facilitating management for results. The current Nigeria COSOP 2016 -2023 will end in December 2023.
The New COSOP is proposed to run from 2024-2029 and is expected to be presented to the December 2023 IFAD Executive Board for approval.
The Country Director of IFAD Mrs Dede Ekoue while speaking at the IFAD COSOP 2024-2029 Stakeholders Workshop, said IFAD and the Federal Government of Nigeria are in corporation to strengthen the smallholder farmers to produce food in a sustainable manner.
She said through this partnership, many rice and cassava producers have improved their yield, and they are able to produce more with lesser inputs. According to her, it translates to more food, less cost, income for farmers and job opportunities for the youth.
“All these elements put together are conducive for the economic growth of the country, and this is what we want to bring to scale in the new corporation strategy that we are developing under the leadership of the government, and in close coordination with the smallholder farmers.
“We had consultations in seven states, during this consultation, farmers, private sectors, government agencies and development partners talked to us on what are the priorities that should be taken into account in the Corporation programme, and also specific recommendations for IFAD Nigeria.
“We are here for the wrap of the consultation, this is an opportunity for us to discuss how to prioritize, there are many recommendations that we will be picking together the areas we know that IFAD and its partners have comparative advantage and strength”, she added.
Mrs Ekoue said based on this consultation, IFAD is laying the foundation for the next six years of partnership with Nigeria starting from 2024.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe said the Ministry participated actively and concerns were raised for inclusion into the COSOP 2024-2029 period to assist smallholder farmers feeding the teaming population as it is a known fact that 70 percent of the farmers in the country are rural people with low-income and subsistence.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by a Director in the Ministry, said the FG has integrated some actions in the new COSOP formation.
He said the actions include “promotion of affordable and simple tools under mechanization for the smallholder farmers for increased production and intervention in addition to interventions of waste to wealth with business potential.
“Ensure greater gender representation to leverage their experiences into the new COSOP Broaden the value chains to include fish for nutrition enhancement and income generation in the farming households.
“Consider the Integration of livestock value chain on sustainable pasture production and planting of fodder crops to increase livestock feed and reduce environmental degradation, integration of specific nutrition sensitive interventions into the new COSOP.
“Consider specific intervention on post-harvest handling in the reduction of food losses, leverage current action on climate change adaptation to opportunities for climate financing and reduction of green gas emissions with other pertinent issues militating the development of the agricultural sector in the Country.
Achii Patricia, a beneficiary farmer from Benue State said she has been working with IFAD for five years, and she and other rural farmers have benefited from IFAD supported programmes.
“We came up with a few recommendations; we pray that they look into it. That will enable much growth and assistance to the smallholder farmer.
“Some of the recommendations are capacity building training on use of ICT gadgets, we also came up with making provision for the climate gadget that will help us forecast the weather, and soil testing kits, we also recommend that they should carry along People Living With Disabilities, especially youth and women in the rural areas”, she added.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
