The Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Ilorin, Kwara State, has launched its Village Alive Development Initiative (VADI) to promote agriculture investments that have far-reaching impact on individuals and communities.

At the launch at Omomere Oja in Ilorin South Local Government, and Amayo in Ifelodun Local Government Areas, in Kwara State, ARMTI's Acting Executive Director Mr Johnson Njoku said the initiative was part of efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at increasing the capacities of rural dwellers to explore available agric resources and technologies to satisfy the demands of the growing population for food and other agricultural commodities.

To this end, he said priority must be given to maintaining and improving the capacity of agricultural lands to support an expanding population.

The main tools of VADI, he stated, are income diversification and improved management of inputs. Its success, he added, would depend largely on the support and participation of rural people. Njoku said that under the VADI programme, loans given to each community would be repaid to their respective co-operatives. He expressed happiness that the intervention of the agency in turning around the fortunes of the local farmers had been yielding fruitful results.

The Kwara State governor represented by his special assistant on agriculture, Mr Anu Ibiwoye, lauded the effort of the Federal Government through ARMTI, adding that the programme is in line with the effort of the state government to encourage local farmers in the state.

A farmer, Idowu Magaji, was full of appreciation and described the training and loan provision as an impetus that would bring out the best in them and also make them self-reliant.

He expressed hope that the initiative will improve farm production and farming systems through diversification of farm employment and infrastructure development.

At the launch of the VADI in Kwara State, the people of Omomere Oja in Ilorin South Local Government and Amayo in Ifelodun Local Government Area were full of appreciation. Officials of ARMTI) handling the programme was welcomed with songs and dances.

The scheme involves giving out N1 million loan to each rural community to empower farmers to grow different crops and also teach them how to invest their profit judiciously.