The Federal Government has endorsed the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-supported Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) as a model for rural transformation and economic diversification.
Dr Emmanuel Akogun, Director of the Federal Department of Development Partners Projects, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the inception workshop of the 13th Joint Federal Government/IFAD Supervision Mission.
Akogun said the programme operates in nine states, focusing on rice and cassava production, processing and marketing.
He said strengthening the value chains could improve farmers’ incomes, reduce post-harvest losses, expand market access and create jobs for rural women and young people.
According to him, the programme has improved agricultural productivity, strengthened farmers’ organisations and connected producers with reliable markets.
Also speaking, Mr Stanley George, Director of the International and Economic Relations Department, Federal Ministry of Finance, called for faster disbursement of funds and timely payment of counterpart contributions by state governments.
George, represented by Mr Andrew Arebun, identified funding delays and inadequate climate-resilient infrastructure as challenges requiring urgent attention.
He urged stakeholders to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, strengthen private-sector participation and improve monitoring and evaluation to ensure measurable results.
He added that aligning agricultural production with market demand was essential for the programme’s long-term sustainability.
