From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Team Leader, Market Enterprise Development Adviser of VCDP, Fatima Buhari, President’s daughter has commended the level of implementation of Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) in Nasarawa State.
The President’s daughter gave the commendation on Friday during a three-day working visit to inspect the implementation of the programme.
The Market Enterprise Development Adviser explained that the visit was aimed at supervising their projects to ascertain implementation and maintenance of the projects executed in the state.
She maintained that the Federal Government was working out modalities to rebuild some of the Agricultural processing centres in the state.
“We are here to assess the level of implementation of the support mission for our beneficiaries”
“The visit is to check on our project work that we have done and how they are being maintained”.
“So, far the assessment is very good and the beneficiaries are trying in the maintenance and we might likely come again to help rebuild some of the processing centres”. She said.
Dr Eunice Adgidzi, Nasarawa State Coordinator of VCDP said the programme was initiated to improve cassava and rice value chain for small farmers in the state.
The VCDP was initiated by the Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The Nasarawa State Coordinator said programme completed multi-million naira projects across five LGAs in the state since inception.
She listed the five LGAs that were currently benefiting from the programme to include, Lafia, Doma, Wamba, Karu and Nasarawa.
“So far, we have completed solar powered boreholes, market stores containing ten stores each, market stalls containing fourteen stalls in each benefiting LGAs.
“Over 2, 233 farmers from 204 farmers organisations engaging in rice and cassava production, processing and marketing were profiled and benefiting from VCDP interventions across the participating LGAs,” she added.
Adgidzi said VCDP has distributed 3, 850 kg of oved varieties of seeds, 23,100kg of fertilizers and 154 litres of selective and non-selective herbicides to 136 farmers.