The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has advised vegetable farmers in Delta to improve on their farming method to increase productivity. A consultant to IFAD, Mr Paul Shoen, gave the advice on Sunday at Oviri-Ogor in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The consultant was in the town to inspect a vegetable farm owned by Emameya Multi-purpose Co-operative. Scheon urged members of the cooperative who comprised only women, to use the knowledge they acquired from a technical training organised by IFAD to improve on vegetable cultivation.

He commended the women for their commitment, saying these “women are very enthusiastic in handling the vegetable farm project. “I must also say that there is prospect here and the farmers are doing very well.” Earlier, the President of the cooperative, Mrs Victoria Igben commended IFAD for granting them more than N500, 000 to support their farming activities.

She said that the cooperative had released N900, 000 take off loan to its members. She said that income from the farm had assisted the women in catering for their families including payment of school fees of their children.

Igben, however, said that transportation of farm produce to markets was one of the major challenge facing the women. She appealed for more funding to enable the co-operative expand on its 2.8 hectares of farm land.

Source: Daily Independent