The Federal Government-International Fund for Agricultural Development (FG-IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has officially flagged off the distribution of agricultural inputs and tricycles for the 2026 wet season farming intervention in Nasarawa State.
The initiative is aimed at boosting food security, enhancing rural livelihoods, and accelerating economic growth that would directly benefit 1,918 smallholder farmers grouped across 76 farmer organisations.
The beneficiaries are drawn from five selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Lafia, Doma, Wamba, Karu, and Nasarawa.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Lafia, the State Programme Coordinator, Dr. Eunice Adigidzi, disclosed that the 2026 wet season intervention is targeted at supporting the cultivation of 295 hectares of rice and 140 hectares of cassava.
To ensure a high-yielding farming season, the VCDP is distributing a massive haul of agricultural assets, which includes 9,750 kg of certified rice seeds, 7,000 bundles of improved cassava stems, 1,340 bags of NPK fertilizer, 390 bags of Urea fertilizer,
670 liters of herbicides and 22 tricycles were allocated to various farmer organisations to strengthen transportation, aggregation, and market linkages.
“These interventions are designed to ensure that farmers have timely access to quality production inputs, reduce production costs, improve market access, minimize post-harvest losses, and ultimately increase productivity and household incomes,” Dr. Adigidzi stated.
The Chairman of the Nasarawa State Disability Rights Commission, Saleh Abdullahi Agye, praised the VCDP’s exceptional dedication to inclusivity, noting that the program never conducts activities without empowering vulnerable groups.
Reflecting this impact, a beneficiary and cassava farmer from Doma LGA, Miss Margaret Oshawu, shared how the VCDP transformed her life from a struggling person with a disability to an independent, confident agro-entrepreneur who has now graduated with a Mass Communication diploma.
“With the 1.2 million naira support from the Governor, we will enhance our productivity in rice marketing and cassava production. We will make him proud,” Oshawu said.
Despite the celebratory mood, officials issued strong warnings to beneficiaries against the practice of diverting or selling the subsidised inputs to third-party dealers.
The Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Nasarawa State Chapter, Isaac Ali Kigbu, confessed that he previously undervalued farming while living in Abuja, but found immense wealth upon returning home.
He urged farmers to utilise the inputs to train others rather than looking for immediate cash payouts.
Also speaking, the Rural Institute Gender and Youth Development Specialist, Musa Dalang, representing the National Programme Coordinator, Dr. Fatima Aliyu, warned of strict penalties for asset diversion.
“Please, leverage this support to enhance your livelihood. If we catch anybody selling these things, the shame you will suffer at our hands, you will not like it. Use it to enhance your farm work,” Aliyu warned.
She used the occasion to appeal to the Nasarawa State Government to transition the time-bound programme into a permanent state agency.
“This move would allow the model to be scaled up to the remaining local government areas, securing long-term food security and shared prosperity for the entire state,” she added.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Umar Tanko Tunga, reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Abdullahi Sule to sustaining agricultural growth.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of 1.2 million naira to persons living with disabilities—a fulfillment of a promise made earlier this year by the state governor during a visit by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security
