The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has commenced the 12th Joint Supervision Mission of the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), aimed at deepening agricultural transformation, enhancing food security, and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across Nigeria.
The supervision mission, which runs from 6 to 31 October 2025, brings together federal and state government officials, IFAD experts, project coordinators, and stakeholders to review progress, assess impact, and chart a new course for the ongoing implementation and recently approved extension phase of the VCDP, including the Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP).
Speaking at the launch workshop held at Wells Carlton Hotel and Suites, Asokoro, Abuja, the Director of the Federal Department of Development Partners Projects (FD-DPP), Mrs. Iluromi Adebola O., expressed deep appreciation to IFAD and all partners for their sustained commitment to Nigeria’s agricultural development.
“The Value Chain Development Programme continues to stand out as one of the flagship agricultural initiatives of the Federal Government. Through its focus on rice and cassava value chains, the programme has significantly improved productivity, strengthened farmers’ organizations, enhanced market linkages, and increased the participation of women and youth,” Mrs. Adebola said.
She reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to consolidating the gains made under the programme, adding that the Federal Government remains committed to scaling up its impacts and ensuring its alignment with national goals of food security, economic diversification, and rural transformation.
The mission will focus on six key objectives: assessing progress against project outcomes and logframe indicators; tracking the implementation of recommendations from the 11th supervision mission; reviewing the extension phase and ASAP implementation; addressing implementation bottlenecks; identifying best practices and lessons learned; and updating the procurement and integrated risk matrices.
In her address, IFAD Country Director, Mrs. Dede Ekoue, highlighted the mission as a milestone in the long-standing partnership between IFAD and the Government of Nigeria.
“This mission reflects our collective resolve to transform agriculture, strengthen food systems, and improve the lives of smallholder farmers, women, and youth. Through our joint efforts, the VCDP has made significant contributions to national food security, inclusive growth, and rural development,” Ekoue noted.
She cited key achievements of the programme, including:
Productivity gains: Rice yields increased to 5–6 metric tonnes per hectare, compared to the national average of 2–2.5 tonnes.
Market linkages: Over US$40 million in sales generated for more than 16,000 rice farmers through 878 formal agreements with off-takers under the Commodity Alliance Forum (CAF).
Innovation: Women and youth are converting agricultural by-products into briquettes and animal feed, turning waste into wealth.
Climate resilience: ASAP is promoting climate-smart practices, digital tools, irrigation, and erosion control.
Empowerment: Over 39,000 beneficiaries, including 12,000 youth and 22,000 women, have been trained in agribusiness and entrepreneurship.
Ekoue commended the Federal Government, VCDP team, participating states — Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Taraba, Anambra, and Ogun — and farmers for their contributions to the project’s success. She also emphasized the importance of the mission in evaluating progress against milestones under the two-year project extension approved by IFAD.
“As we begin this supervision mission, I call on all stakeholders to approach it with openness, commitment, and a focus on solutions. Our shared responsibility is to ensure that VCDP’s results endure, its models are scaled, and its benefits continue to reach rural communities long after the programme closes,” she urged.
The US$334 million VCDP, jointly funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria and IFAD, plays a pivotal role in advancing the objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the National Agriculture Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), and the Kampala CAAP Declaration adopted by African Union Member States.
As the supervision mission gets underway, stakeholders remain optimistic that its outcomes will further strengthen the programme’s implementation and accelerate Nigeria’s journey toward a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous agricultural sector.
