Benue farmers rake in over N13.5b from IFAD/VCDP intervention

…as programme directly empowers 14,000 youths

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, intervention in  Benue state has helped farmers in the state rake in over N13.5 billion from their yields since the coming of the programme in 2014.

The intervention also empowered and provided gainful employment for over 14,000 youths of the state.

The State Programme Coordinator of IFAD/VCDP for Benue, Mr. Emmanuel Igbaukum who made this known in his presentation at the IFAD Nigeria Country Startegic Opportunities Programme, COSOP, 2024-2029 Regional Technical Consultation for North Central held in Makurdi, noted the intervention had greatly improved the productivity of rice and cassava farmers in the state.

The Benue SPC noted that “between 2014 to date that the programme has been on ground in Benue state, we have achieved massive results. Producers of rice and cassava are supported with inputs like improved rice seeds, cassava stem, NPK, UREA and Pre/Post emergency herbicides.

“Our success is also in the areas of linking farmers to quality markets in terms of rice where we have partnership with Olam and we have recorded over N13.5b that we have been able to access in the private sector engagement into the local economy of the state.

“We have supported the farmers with rural infrastructure, market infrastructure that today if you go round the eight participating Local Government Areas, LGA, you will see that we have upgraded processing centers from where we process quality rice.

“We have also provided mini bridges, culverts, warehouses, roads and areas where farmers demanded that land be cleared for them to have access to the land, we did that.”

“And so the over 14,000 of our youths are direct beneficiaries of the programme and some of them have been engaged in enterprises through which they have engaged and employed others.”

He noted that women were also directed beneficiaries of the intervention after being exposed to good agronomy practises and availed all necessary support to improve their livelihood.

Mr. Igbaukum pointed out that despite the successes recorded, the programme had also been encountering challenge “one of which is the herders’ crisis.”

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