IFAD Urges Lasting Support for Farmers as VCDP Nears Completion

By Atlantic Reports

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has urged government and programme partners to secure lasting benefits for rural farmers as Nigeria’s Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) approaches completion.

IFAD Country Director Mohamed El-Ghazaly made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the inception workshop of the 13th Joint Federal Government/IFAD Supervision Mission.

VCDP is a joint initiative intended to improve rural household incomes and food security through rice and cassava production, processing and related businesses.

El-Ghazaly said the programme had expanded from six to nine states through two rounds of additional financing. He said previous supervision missions had recognised its field-level results and relevance to Nigeria’s food security priorities.

“Our attention must turn from what VCDP has achieved to what must still be secured,” he said.

Reviewing Results and Exit Arrangements

El-Ghazaly said the mission would examine implementation and financial performance, assess progress against programme targets and follow up on recommendations from the previous supervision exercise.

It would also review exit arrangements, preparedness for financial closure and the programme completion report.

He identified three priorities: results for farmers, processors and rural communities; local ownership and sustainability of infrastructure and farmer organisations; and lessons for future interventions.

“Where implementation has been successful, let us document the lessons and determine how those gains can be sustained. Where challenges remain, let us be frank about them,” he said.

He urged participants to base their assessment on evidence from farmers, communities and implementing teams.

Handover to States and Beneficiaries

National Programme Coordinator Dr Fatima Aliyu said sustainability had been incorporated into VCDP from its inception.

She described the mission as an opportunity to assess achievements, outstanding activities and implementation difficulties, with particular attention to finalising exit strategies.

“We have an exit and implementation strategy, we have an implementation plan, and we hope to hand over a lot of investments to the state governments and specifically beneficiaries,” she said.

The proposed transfers are an important part of the programme’s conclusion. However, the supplied account did not identify the assets involved, their condition, handover dates or who would fund their operation and maintenance.

Those arrangements will matter to farmers and processors who depend on the investments after programme support ends.

Livelihood Claims and Continued Support

Aliyu said many beneficiaries had become self-reliant and employers of labour, including some persons with disabilities who had established sustainable livelihoods.

The account did not provide beneficiary numbers, income measurements or employment figures to establish the scale of those reported outcomes.

She said VCDP would maintain relationships with government, private-sector organisations and commodity associations to help farmers access future interventions.

According to Aliyu, memoranda of understanding with financial institutions and other organisations would also support beneficiaries beyond the programme’s lifespan. The account did not detail the services, eligibility requirements or duration of those commitments.

“With the support of government and IFAD, our farmers will not suffer because VCDP is closing,” she said.

That assurance remains a commitment whose delivery will depend on effective handover and accessible follow-up support. The supervision mission offers an opportunity to establish what remains unfinished and who will take responsibility for sustaining the investments rural communities rely on.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.