By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
In furtherance of sustaining the livelihoods of farmers, Kogi State Value Chain Development Programme (Kogi VCDP) has since signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) in order to insure farmlands of beneficiaries in the state.
Aware of incessant menace of flood occurrences in the State with untold hardships and attendant devastating effects on rural farmers, Kogi VCDP in its wisdom linked the farmers to the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance corporation
The farmers cut across five benefitting local government areas of Ibaji, Lokoja, Kabba, Ajaokuta and Olamaboro.
As part of efforts to mitigate losses and boost the morale of VCDP farmers due to the demoralising effects of the flood events in the State, NAIC embarked on
inspection of farmlands of farmers who recently received farm inputs from VCDP to boost their wet season farming.
Speaking during the inspection visits on Thursday, the State Manager of NAIC, Mallam Sani Umar, said that the farms’ inspection exercise was very critical as it enabled the Corporation to confirm the sizes of the farmlands insured and the viability of the farms.
Umar added that the exercise would also enable them to take the Coordinates of all the farms insured under NAIC.
He noted that NAIC is to ensure that the interest of farmers are protected against disasters such as floods and other natural occurrences.
Umar expressed his satisfaction over all the farms visited, and commended the Kogi VCDP management and staff for mentoring their farmers on the best agronomic practices across board.
He commended the farmers for their willingness in paying their Premiums to access the packages under NAIC.
According to him, NAIC insurance covers equipment, assets and other properties which form part of the total farm investments at competitive commercial rates.
Also speaking, the State Programme Coordinator Dr. Stella Adejoh, who was represented by Mr Reuben Joshua, the VCDP Rural Finance Officer, expressed optimism on the ability of NAIC to promptly intervene in the event of flood in the State.
He stressed that the gesture would serve as big relief to farmers whom their farmlands were always affected by flood every year.
In their separate comments, the Farmers appreciated the VCDP for partnering with NAIC to protect their farmlands and proceeds in the event of floods, describing it as a big relief.
Shuaibu Musa and Madam Achibi Audu, from Ibaji and Lokoja respectively, said the insurance would go a long way to protect their farmlands from frequent losses they had experienced in the past
They however disclosed that they were anxiously praying to God that floods would not affect their farms this year.
They noted that with the payment of their Premiums they were very sure that NAIC would come to their aid if their farmlands got flooded.
