The Federal Government of Nigeria, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has provided agricultural inputs to more than 121,000 smallholder farmers across nine states to promote food security.
Fatima Aliyu, National Programme Coordinator of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), shared this during the programme’s 11th supervision mission in Lafia, Nasarawa State. She highlighted that the initiative focuses on sustainable production, processing, and marketing of rice, cassava, and other crops.
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The states benefiting from the program are Nasarawa, Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Ogun, Niger, Taraba, Kogi, and Enugu.
Aliyu noted that the program aims to create job opportunities for women and youths, thereby boosting the incomes of rural households. She revealed that a Rice Innovation Centre and an aggregation center have been established in Lafia to enhance rice processing and storage.
Kush Kukwi, Director of the Project Coordinating Unit at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, commended the progress and urged farmers to maintain their efforts beyond the programme’s duration.
Beneficiaries like Bitrus Alaku expressed gratitude for the support, noting its positive impact on poverty reduction and food security.
