Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has undertaken an official visit to the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP project sites in Lafia, Nasarawa State in a decisive move to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public awareness of government-supported agricultural interventions.
The visit was prompted by the Federal Government’s resolve to showcase the tangible impact of development-partner funded programmes, following the discovery that several initiatives including VCDP had exceeded performance targets but lacked sufficient public visibility.
The Minister explained that the Value Chain Development Programme, originally designed to reach 135,000 farmers, has already profiled over 150,000 farmers and directly supported more than 132,000 beneficiaries ahead of schedule.
Commending Nasarawa State for emerging as the top-performing VCDP state, the Minister also praised its leadership in collaboration and counterpart funding compliance.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to food price stabilisation, deliberate reduction of agricultural input costs, and expanded support for farmers through value-chain driven interventions.
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Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the State’s unwavering commitment to agricultural development, sustainability, and small holder farmer empowerment.
He emphasised the importance of full value-chain engagement to reduce post-harvest losses and ensure long-term impact.
The National Coordinator of Value Chain Development Programme, Fatima Aliyu, highlighted the programme’s achievements across nine states, noting its inclusive approach, strong beneficiary ownership, and proven success in transforming small holder farmers into viable agribusiness operators and employers of labour.
Some of the beneficiaries speak on the impact of the value Chain Development Programme in the state.
The visit reinforced intergovernmental collaboration, elevated the visibility of VCDP’s impact, and underscored the Federal Government’s determination to advance food security and inclusive economic growth nationwide.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
