Niger State Governor, farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago, has flagged off the distribution of the Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP) grant under the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development/Value Chain Development Programme (FGN/IFAD/VCDP), supported by the United Nations. The event took place in Minna and also featured the graduation of youths trained in the fabrication of agricultural equipment.
Represented by his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, the governor described the intervention as timely, stressing that it aligns with his administration’s agenda to revolutionize agriculture in the state.
According to him, Niger State is one of two states selected for the ASAP grant, which serves as additional financing to strengthen earlier achievements recorded by the FGN/IFAD/VCDP in rice and cassava production, processing, and marketing across nine local government areas.
“The intervention will increase the capacity of smallholder farmers to cope with the overwhelming effects of climate change and support the expansion of arable land through climate-resilient activities,” the governor stated. He added that the programme will also improve agricultural production and boost food security in the state.
The governor expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and IFAD/VCDP for recognizing Niger State’s efforts in the agricultural sector. He assured that the state government will continue to promptly meet its counterpart funding obligations and appealed for the inclusion of more local government areas in future phases of the project.
He congratulated the beneficiaries of the ASAP grant and the youths who completed training on agricultural equipment fabrication. “I urge you to use the grant and starter packs wisely to create jobs, increase your livelihood, and provide essential services to farmers within your clusters,” he said.
The National Programme Coordinator of VCDP, Dr. Fatima Aliyu, highlighted the impact of VCDP in promoting youth entrepreneurship, empowering women, and advancing climate-smart agriculture. She explained that the ASAP grant is designed to help smallholder farmers adapt to the negative effects of climate change.
“The target is to reach 24,000 beneficiaries nationwide, with Niger State having 18,700 farmers, including women,” Dr. Aliyu revealed. She outlined the focus areas of the intervention, which include climate-resilient planting materials, soil conservation, erosion control, waste-to-wealth initiatives, improved water resource access, and renewable energy solutions.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, represented by Mohammad Bashir Abdulkadir, praised the initiative, stating, “The distribution of the ASAP grant and the graduation of youth fabricators are clear indications that Nigeria’s agricultural sector has a future that is inclusive, climate-smart, youth-driven, and profitable.”
Representatives of the Nigeria Agricultural Mechanization and Development Authority (NAMDA), Minna-Green House, the Chairman of Edati Local Government, and the Executive Director of the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) delivered goodwill messages. They commended the programme, emphasizing its potential to transform agriculture in the state and country at large.
Equipment distributed under the ASAP grant included cassava peel conversion machines, rice husk briquette machines, solar-powered irrigation water pumps, power tillers for bunds, and digital devices such as laptops and phones for accessing climate information. These items were given to beneficiaries across six local government areas.
Additionally, starter packs were provided to 45 trained youths drawn from nine local government areas to support their work and encourage innovation in agricultural equipment fabrication.