The programme aims to improve incomes and food security of poor rural households engaged in production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava on a sustainable basis.
VCDP works to enhance productivity and access to markets for rice and cassava smallholder farmers through a commodity value chain approach.
Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) is a six-year development initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) programme that focuses on supporting cassava and rice value chains for small farmers in the nine states...
Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) is a development initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Programme
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Niger State, Nigeria, is the largest state by landmass and is located in the North Central region. Known as “The Power State”, it is characterized by its fertile land, rich agricultural output, and contribution to Nigeria’s power supply. The state is a melting pot of diverse ethnic groups, with Nupe, Gbagyi, and Hausa being the major ones. Farming is the primary occupation for a large portion of the population.
Location and Geography:
Niger State is bordered by Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It also shares an international border with Benin. The state is known for its arable land, with 70% being suitable for cultivation.
Economy:
Agriculture is the mainstay of the state’s economy, with major crops including cotton, shea nuts, yams, and peanuts. Other important crops include sorghum, millet, and tobacco. The state is also home to three hydroelectric dams (Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro) which provide a significant portion of Nigeria’s power.
Population:
Niger State is divided into 25 Local Government Areas with an estimated population of 6.7 million people as of 2020.
Participating LGAs
Mrs Hadizat Isah
isah@vcdpnigeria.org
Mrs Hadizat Isah was born on November 14, 1971 in Niger State. She obtained primary school certificate in 1983 and Teachers’ College (Grade II) at Ogori-Magongo, Kogi State in 1988. She attended Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Niger State where she obtained Nigeria Certificate in Education (Agricultural courses) in 1993, obtained Bachelor of Agriculture (Crop & Soil) from Usman Dan-Fodio University, Sokoto in 2000 and International Master in Horticultural Science at University of Natural Resources and Life Science, Vienna, Austria.
Hadizat Isah worked with the Niger State Agricultural & Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA) and rose to the rank of an Assistant Director Agriculture. She was a Community Facilitator with the National Fadama II & III Development Project (World Bank Project) in Niger State until the year 2013. Hadizat was appointed as Agricultural Processing/Quality Enhancement Officer with the FGN/IFAD assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Niger State in 2014 and currently, Acting State Programme Coordinator of VCDP in Niger State from 23rd October 2023.
Hadizat has carried out a number of researches mostly in the areas of agricultural production and productivity including Comparative Study on Garden Eggs using Cow Dungs and Poultry Droppings; Soil Analysis on Dunes; On Farm Adaptive Research (OFAR) on (i) Ideal Number of Seedlings Per Stand in Rice Production & (ii) Yam Miniset Technology; Management Training Plot (MTP): Spacing, Method of Fertilizer Application on Maize Production; as well as Seed germination of Roselle, Marjoram and Fennel under different Temperatures and Influence of Artificial Aging.
In addition to her academic qualifications, Hadizat Isah has obtained various proficiency certificates both locally and internationally through seminars, trainings, capacity building activities and workshops which has immensely increased her technical know-how and experience in the areas of agricultural activities and interventions. Hadizat is passionate about Agriculture with specific interest in value addition to agricultural produce and also working with rural people especially women and youth.
Office Address
FGN/NGSG (IFAD ASSISTED) VCDP + AF
Opp. Ben Jama Hotel, Eastern Bye Pass Along Maitumbi Road, Minna.
Nigeria is predisposed to severe negative impacts from climate change due to its fragile economy, weak resilience and low adaptive capacity. Rural livelihoods significantly depend on the performance of climate sensitive natural resources, especially in the agricultural sector. Environmental degradation, extreme weather and long-term climate change that undermine the natural resource stock and productive landscapes pose important challenges to sustainable agriculture, livelihoods and food security. Future climate scenarios project a consistent temperature rise (about 0.02oC per year from 2000 until 2100) and increase in variability and occurrences of extreme events leading to possible dry spells, droughts, floods, recurrence of locust and pests and reductions in yield. Annual flooding from the Niger and Benue Rivers and local tributaries and resource conflicts have heightened loss on agricultural investments and soil fertility and human insecurity.
VCDP is stepping up environmental and climate change activities under a systematic strategy that includes mainstreaming options for green growth and climate-smart production and processing, improvement of resilience through deepening of insurance and “no regrets” options, and provision of appropriate climate information.
In Nigeria, a major constraint faced by women in the agricultural sector is lack of access to formal credit. This challenge is felt more acutely by women than men. According to a 2022 report by ActionAid, 77% of Nigerian women in the agri-food systems lack access to government credits like those in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other financial institutions. Activities in the agri-food systems and most informal sectors of the rural economy of developing nations including Nigeria require lots of capital which most women lack (World Bank, 2012). According to Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA)’s Access to financial services in Nigeria 2020 survey, women are more financially excluded than men – only 45 per cent of women use formal financial services, compared with 56 per cent of men. Access to formal credit becomes a huge challenge for these women as they cannot build/grow their businesses in line with their aspirations.
The overall goal of financial inclusion in VCDP is to ensure that farmers have sustainable access to financial services after exiting two times matching grant support for inputs and one-time matching grant support for equipment. More also, other value chain actors such as financial services, off-takers, insurance services were able to provide financial services directly or indirectly to them. The services include savings, credit, cashless credit with off-takers and insurance services. In order to achieve this, the programme developed a financial inclusion strategy which covers the following strategic areas:
Under financial literacy training, the major goal is to ensure that VCDP beneficiaries understand the concept of financial terminologies used by service providers and make informed decision about financial services. Under technical assistance support to financial institutions, the major objective is to ensure that the programme provides a structured demand-driven and result-oriented capacity building support to financial institutions which will enable them to provide sustainable financial services in terms of friendly financial products (savings and credits) to VCDP beneficiaries.
Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) is a six-year development initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) programme that focuses on supporting cassava and rice value chains for small farmers in the nine states…