By Stella Odueme
Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has flagged off the distribution of processing and post-harvest equipment to the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) – supported farmers and agribusiness groups in Nasarawa State.
Speaking during the distribution flag off ceremony which is part of a two-day working visit to Lafia in Nasarawa State, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari said that the intervention would add value, reduce post-harvest loss, empower women and youth farmers, as well as encourage competitiveness and boost productivity
Sen Kyari, in a statement by the Head, Department of Information, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, on Thursday, stressed that the equipment would also support enterprise growth, deepen market participation, and expand opportunities for rural employment.
He revealed that the programme, implemented with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), aims to address structural constraints in the rice and cassava value chains through integrated investments in production, aggregation, processing, infrastructure, market access, and institutional strengthening as well as align with the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP).
The Minister underscored the programme’s commitment to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration’s drive towards agricultural transformation, saying, “agriculture must deliver results—food for our people, jobs for our youth, income for our farmers, and stability for our nation.
“Under Mr. President’s leadership, agriculture is being transformed into a modern, market-oriented and private-sector-driven enterprise, with Nasarawa State leading the way.”
Sen. Kyari revealed that the Nasarawa Agro-Commodity Company (NASACCO) and the One-Stop Investment Centre (OSIC) are key initiatives strengthening the state’s investment climate.
He applauded Governor Abdullahi Sule for his commitment to large-scale cultivation, noting that the State’s efforts to boost domestic food supply has stabilized prices, conserved foreign exchange, and create jobs.
The Minister pointed to visible results of federal-state partnership, including functional aggregation centres, modern processing facilities, and strengthened producer organizations.
“These interventions are creating jobs, stabilizing rural incomes, and strengthening Nasarawa State’s contribution to national food security,”
In his remarks, Governor Sule stated that the state government has align its agricultural programmes in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, geared toward economic diversification and creation of wealth for Nigeria farmers.
He stated that the reforms in the agriculture sector would empower youth and women farmers in the state and also ensured increase in production and locally generated revenue.
In her welcome address, the National Programme Coordinator, FGN/IFAD – Value Chain Development Programme, Dr. Fatima Aliyu stated that the programme would assists rice and cassava smallholder farmers through a value chain approach to enhance productivity, promote agro processing and increased access to markets.
She added that the initiative would transform the agricultural sector of rural Nigeria by achieving food security, increasing incomes and creating new employment opportunities.
Responding on behalf of beneficiary, Chairman, Ashangwa Rice Innovation platform, Patience Wombo pledged that the Association would maintain, protect all facilities provided by the VCDP to ensure increase in production, packaging and distribution of agricultural products.
In a related event, the Minister commissioned the following FGN/IFAD – Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) in Lafia, Nasarawa State namely; Value Chain Innovation Rice Processing, Ashangwa, Gidi Gidi Garri Processing Centre ,Agi Alo Rice Processing Centre ,among others.
The highlights of the visit were the distribution of agricultural inputs namely; forty-six tricycles; sixteen rice steam parboiling machines; eighteen rice milling machines; ten rce de stoning machines; three rice colour sorting machines; eleven digital weighting scales; two rice dehusking machines; four cassava grating machines; four cassava manuel fryers; three automated framers; three hydraulic pressers, and courtesy visit to the Nasarawa State Governor.
