Niger State government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will invest US$10.78mn to train cassava and rice farmers in three Local Government areas of the state in Nigeria.

According to IFAD, the training of the cassava and rice farmers would continue over the next six years. IFAD is the UN body that finances agriculture in poor countries.

Mohammed Kuta Yahaya, commissioner for agriculture and rural development of Niger State, said, “While IFAD is expected to commit US$1.77mn to the capacity building programme of the farmers in the three local government areas annually, the Niger State government will put in US$430,379.7 for the same period.”

Already both IFAD and the state government have recruited and trained the staff that would handle the training of the farmers, added the commissioner.

Yahaya revealed that the programme would not only improve the income of the farmers but lead to massive increase in the cultivation of the selected farm produce for local and export purposes.