The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has proposed a budget of N5.17 billion for its 2026 operations in Ebonyi State.
The IFAD–VCDP state programme coordinator, Sunday Ituma, announced this in Abakaliki during the state steering committee meeting on the 2026 Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWPB) held on Monday.
According to Mr Ituma, the budget, prepared by the State Programme Management Unit (SPMU), aims to enhance agricultural productivity, promote youth empowerment, and improve value addition in rice and cassava production across the state. He explained that the project’s funding would come from multi-stakeholder contributions focused on improving the livelihoods of farmers in eight participating local government areas.
“IFAD will provide N4.122 billion, the Ebonyi government will contribute N176.64 million, while beneficiaries will support implementation with N876.73 million,” he said.
Mr Ituma added that one of the major components of the 2026 budget includes the provision of small-scale rice processing equipment valued at N150 million. The items include haulers, destoners, weighing scales, and bag-stitching machines for farmer organisations to improve rice production and packaging quality.
He further noted that the budget also provides for the procurement of two rice colour sorters worth N60 million and equipment for youth enterprises engaged in vitamin A cassava processing. “The youth processing equipment includes ovens, gas cylinders, extractors, and scales estimated at N22.5 million,” he said.
The coordinator expressed satisfaction with the steering committee’s approval of the budget, noting that it would be forwarded to the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Finance for concurrence before being sent to IFAD headquarters for final clearance. “Hopefully, by late 2025 or early 2026, activities will commence across participating LGAs,” he said.
Mr Ituma highlighted that since its inception in 2015, IFAD–VCDP has empowered thousands of farmers in Ebonyi, injecting over N17 billion into the state’s economy.
Chairman of the VCDP Steering Committee and Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nkechinyere Iyioku, commended the implementation team for its dedication and urged it to sustain its performance. Ms Iyioku encouraged the team to expand its reach to all LGAs, describing the programme’s interventions as “life-changing” for rural farmers.
Vice chairman of the Steering Committee and Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Leonard Uguru, also praised the programme’s results, noting that its evaluation ratings exceeded 90 per cent. “We have encouraged other World Bank-assisted teams in the state to learn from IFAD–VCDP’s impressive performance and impact-driven approach,” Mr Uguru added.
