By Peter.
The Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development Value Chain Development Programme (FG/IFAD-VCDP) has delivered nearly 90 infrastructure projects and millions of naira worth of equipment support to boost rice and cassava value chains in Nasarawa State.
This was disclosed by Knowledge Management and Communication Officer, Akwe Samson Jonath, during a media roundtable in Lafia on Wednesday.
Jonath revealed that interventions from 2021 to 2025 targeted beneficiaries in five local government areas, including:
- 10 commodity aggregation centers
- 5 culverts
- 7 bridges
- 17 market stores
- 6 market stalls
- 7 drying slabs
- 27 rice/cassava processing centers (equipped with crèches)
- 10 VIP toilet facilities
- 25 hectares of developed farmland
Additionally, VCDP provided equipment such as small-scale irrigation systems, power tillers, rice threshers, mini rice cutters, manual rice transplanters, rice reapers, and other tools valued at millions of naira.
Jonath outlined the program’s three core components:
- Market development
- Smallholder productivity enhancement
- Programme coordination and management
These focus on increasing profitability for smallholder farmers and medium-scale processors while integrating gender, youth empowerment, and efficient implementation.
State Coordinator Dr. Eunice Adgidzi emphasized that the initiative aims to improve farmers’ livelihoods, noting that trained participants have widely adopted improved agronomic practices for rice and cassava production. She commended journalists for raising awareness about the program’s impact in Nasarawa.
The VCDP continues to drive agricultural transformation, enhancing productivity, market access, and income for rural farming communities.
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