Intensive training programme for IFAD-VCDP farmers covering improved rice seed production technologies including seed selection, nursery management, field establishment, rouging, harvesting, and post-harvest handling.
The Agriculture and Food Production Initiative (AFPI) facilitated a comprehensive training programme for IFAD-VCDP farmers on rice seed production technologies in Bida, Niger State. The training was part of AFPI's ongoing collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development – Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP).
Training Content
Participants received hands-on training in:
- Seed selection and quality standards for certified rice seed production
- Nursery management techniques for healthy seedling establishment
- Proper field establishment and transplanting methods
- Rouging techniques to maintain variety purity
- Harvesting, threshing, and post-harvest handling to minimize losses
- Climate-smart agronomic practices developed by AfricaRice, NCRI, and IITA
The training combined classroom instruction with practical field sessions, ensuring participants could immediately apply the knowledge on their farms. Participants also received exposure to improved rice varieties adapted to the Niger State agro-ecological conditions.