The Federal Government has begun distributing processing and post-harvest equipment to farmers and agribusiness groups in Nasarawa State under the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) to strengthen agribusiness, enhance food security, and reduce post-harvest losses.
The flag-off ceremony, held in Lafia during a two-day working visit, was led by Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
He explained that the equipment will help add value to agricultural produce, improve productivity, empower women and youth farmers, and encourage competitiveness across key value chains.
“The intervention will also support enterprise growth, expand market participation, and create rural employment opportunities,” the minister said.
Senator Kyari noted that the programme is implemented in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and targets structural challenges in the rice and cassava value chains.
The initiative integrates investments in production, aggregation, processing, infrastructure, market access, and institutional strengthening, in alignment with the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP).
He added that the programme aligns with the agricultural transformation agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“Agriculture must deliver results: food for our people, jobs for our youth, income for our farmers, and stability for our nation,” Kyari said.
The distribution of equipment is expected to enhance farmers’ capacity to process crops efficiently, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve the incomes and livelihoods of agribusiness stakeholders in Nasarawa State.
