Excited rice farmers in Edati Local Government Area, have shared how the Federal Government and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)’s Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) significantly improved rice farming in Niger State, empowering farmers with modern techniques and off grid technology to engage in all-year-round farming.
Speaking to AgroNigeria, one of the beneficiaries, Muhammad Usman Yahaya, said the VCDP program has not only transformed his farming experience, but improved his income and that of other farmers in his community.
Specifically, he explained that before the intervention, farmers in his community cultivated rice only during the rainy season, and struggled to make profit from their labour due to low productivity.
According to him, with FGN/IFAD VCDP program introduced dry-season farming, alongside training on nursery bed preparation, transplanting, and access to improved seeds like Faro 44 to them, “Farmers now harvest up to 50 bags of rice per hectare, compared to the previous 15–20 bags per hectare.
“VCDP taught us modern rice farming techniques and provided support such as fertilizers, power tillers, and solar water pumps. Before, only a few people could afford fertilizers, but now we get them easily, paying just 30% of the cost, while VCDP covers 70%,” elated Yahaya explained.
Speaking on how his livelihood has really improved, Yahaya said “Despite that I have been into farming from childhood, the intervention from VCDP changed my life completely. Before, I lived in my father’s house. Now, I have my own house, and many people in my community are benefiting as well.”
Married with three children, Yahaya expressed gratitude to the federal government and IFAD for such an impactful program, “proceeds from my rice farm now fund my children’s education in private institutions both home and abroad,” he added.
Another beneficiary from the same community, Jubrin Haruna, has a similar success story of financial independence as a result of FGN/IFAD VCDP intervention turning years of labour and sweat into prosperity.
“The training we received opened our eyes to what we did not know for years that has affected earnings from our labour. FGN/IFAD VCDP’s presence in our community is a blessing and an eye opener for us to earn a better living from producing rice round the year and access to offtakers through VCDP.”
“Now I can boast of having my own house, car, and other properties. My children are now in good schools and I have an improved life now.”
FGN/IFAD VCDP Reels Out Scorecard in Niger State
The State Program Coordinator of the Federal Government and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)’s Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Hajiya Hadizat Isah, State Programme Coordinator, has revealed how Niger state farmers are celebrating improved livelihoods through VCDP’s intervention, particularly in the rice value chain across the state.
Speaking during a media tour of some rice farming and processing communities in Niger state, the SPC, specifically highlighted some remarkable success stories in Edati local government since the program was introduced to some communities in the local government.
In her words, “We are here to document the success stories of the farmers that VCDP have supported since the beginning of the program. Edati is one of the communities where we have implemented many supports for the farmers, especially the rice farmers.
“Before, they were engaged in rainfed agriculture, doing nothing during the dry season. We trained them on good agronomic practices (GAP) and empowered them with a solar irrigation system. Some of them then decided to venture into dry season farming.”
The State program coordinator further explained how the intervention program provided critical support that aided farmers’ transition to more advanced farming techniques to increase productivity.
“When they started the dry season farming, we trained them and supported them with solar irrigation pumps. From there, they expanded their farms.
“Before, some were farming just 2 hectares of land per person—while others did 1 hectare or even ½. But when we supported them with all the equipment, like power tillers and solar irrigation pumps, they started expanding their farms.
“Also before, they normally had 2 metric tons per hectare, and some even had less than that. But now, the farmers in Edati can boast of harvesting up to 6.5–7 metric tons per hectare. You could see from their success stories that this intervention has already changed their lives,” Isah added.
Furthermore on the life-changing impacts of VCDP on farmers, she said “They have a lot of success stories. Every year, most of them go to Hajj.
“Some of them now have houses, and their children are now in the city schooling instead of attending village schools because they can now pay their school fees, whether in Minna or other places. So you can see that the farmers’ income has increased because of this intervention.”
