The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has urged farmers and investors in Niger State to sustain its Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) when it winds up in 2024.
The State Programme Coordinator, Dr Mathew Ahmed, made the call yesterday in Minna, while inaugurating a one-day dialogue among VCDP farmers, investors, processors, off-takers and financial institutions.
Noting that farmers under the IFAD-VCDP intervention would be left on their own to continue with the programme in the next two years, Ahmed said this meeting is therefore part of the sustainability strategy.
“We are working hard to ensure that when the project ends, the Commodity Alliance Forum (CAF) will continue to drive the process on their own, and the farmers will continue to leverage on the credit facilities available with the financial institutions and investors.
“If you look at our guide, it says we should wean a farmer after supporting him for two years. Therefore, what we can do is to broker a relationship between the farmers, financial institutions, off-takers, individuals or companies who want to support them so that they can sign a contract on how to pay back,” he said.
He advised the partners who want to support farmers with capital and inputs to always contact the State VCDP Office for proper documentation and contract agreement to avoid default.
“Any investor must ensure that the farmers you are supporting are credit worthy,” he added.
Ahmed said the VCDP will encourage investors to support farmers with inputs such as fertiliser, improved seeds, and herbicides among others, and farmers will in turn pay back in kind after harvest, instead of cash.
The VCDP will encourage investors to support farmers with inputs such as fertiliser, improved seeds, and herbicides among others, and farmers will in turn pay back in kind after harvest, instead of cash.
Similarly, the VCDP Marketing Development Officer in the state, Mrs Elizabeth Yisa, said the meeting will expose farmers to more agri-business opportunities.
Also, the State VCDP Agro-processing/Quality Enhancement Officer, Hadizat Isah, noted that partnership in agri-business would develop farmers’ knowledge and income.
One of the farmers, also the Chief Executive Officer, Izge Integrated Farms, Minna, Sule Izge, said the meeting will enhance the cordial relationship among VCDP farmers, financial institutions and investors.
The IFAD-VCDP is a collaboration among the Federal Government, IFAD and nine participating states of Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa, Taraba and Ogun.
Rice and cassava were included to benefit from VCDP-Additional Financing after the programme recorded huge success in all the participating states.
There are currently 33,200 VCDP farmers in Niger State spread across the eight benefiting local government areas of Bida, Katcha, Kontagora, Shiroro, Edati, Borgu, Wushishi and Mokwa. (NAN)
