The Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have approved a two-year extension of the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) to strengthen its achievements and deepen its impact across participating states.
At the opening of the Joint FGN/IFAD 12th Supervision Mission in Abuja, the Director of the Federal Department of Development Partners Projects (FDDPP) in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mrs Iluromi Adebola, praised the collaboration between the Federal and State Governments, IFAD, farmers, and the private sector. She described the VCDP as a flagship initiative that is “driving food security, enhancing productivity, and improving rural livelihoods nationwide.”
According to Mrs Adebola, the extension of the programme followed its impressive results and visible impact in the nine participating states—Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Taraba, Anambra, and Ogun. The programme focuses on developing rice and cassava value chains, providing smallholder farmers with improved technologies, better market access, and higher income opportunities.
She revealed that rice yields among VCDP farmers have increased to between 5 and 6 tonnes per hectare, compared to the national average of 2 to 2.5 tonnes per hectare. This improvement, she said, demonstrates the success of the programme in promoting modern farming methods and supporting food security in Nigeria.
Mrs Adebola also noted that women and youth have become more involved in agribusiness innovation through initiatives that convert agricultural waste into value-added products such as briquettes and animal feed. She explained that this has encouraged environmental sustainability while expanding economic opportunities in rural areas.
The IFAD Country Director and Head of Mission, Mrs Dede Ekoue, commended the programme’s achievements and reaffirmed IFAD’s commitment to aligning with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the National Agriculture Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), and the Kampala CAAP Declaration.
She urged all stakeholders to maintain the programme’s momentum beyond its current phase, adding that IFAD will continue to support Nigeria’s agricultural and food systems transformation.
The 12th Supervision Mission will run from 6th to 31st October 2025 to review progress, assess challenges, and plan new strategies to strengthen results across the participating states.