By HeapNews
National Programme Coordinator, FG/IFAD-VCDP
A Nigerian government programme supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has created nearly 12,000 permanent jobs by helping smallholder farmers transition into agribusiness owners, officials said on Thursday.
The Federal Government/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) said it had generated 11,890 permanent jobs, including more than 6,000 youths and over 3,000 women who now run their own ventures in rice and cassava value chains.
“Our main objective at VCDP is to move smallholder farmers from subsistence to micro enterprises,” National Programme Coordinator Dr. Fatima Aliyu told journalists at a media roundtable in Abuja. “Rice farmers benefiting from the project now produce five to six tonnes per hectare, while cassava farmers record about 30 tonnes per hectare.”
Aliyu said young farmers trained in rice seed and cassava stem production had become “entrepreneurs, wealth creators and job creators across the benefiting states,” adding that the initiative had helped curb rural-urban migration by offering income opportunities to women, youths and people with disabilities.
She said the milestone was achieved through improved profiling of beneficiaries and deeper collaboration with federal and state authorities, traditional leaders and the media. The programme also expanded dry-season rice farming, good agricultural practices and value chain financing.
Aliyu listed insecurity, climate change, rising input prices and low literacy among farmers as major obstacles. “These challenges limit the adoption of innovative farming techniques,” she said.
Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor Nura Lawal said the VCDP, which covers nine states, aims to boost productivity, expand market access and strengthen value addition in the rice and cassava sectors.
“VCDP has particular emphasis on empowering women and youth through training, improved infrastructure, climate-smart practices and stronger market linkages for better food security and income,” he said.
Knowledge Management and Communication Advisor Vera Onyilo thanked the media for sustaining visibility for the programme since its launch in 2014.