| ID: | 82976 |
|---|---|
| Country: | Nigeria |
| Title: | Nigeria - Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) – November 2023 |
| Description: |
Evelyn Ifebuch Nwaru with rice harvested from the demo plot she established with VCDP support for the 17 members of the Chimeremma Women Cooperative Society in Aninri local government area in south-eastern Nigeria’s Enugu State. IFAD-supported VCDP provided each of the group’s members Faro44 certified rice seed, fertilizer and agro-chemicals needed to cultivate a one-hectare plot, and help to prepare the land for planting. With VCDP support, Evelyn uses the demo plot to train the cooperatives members on good agronomic practices, increasing their productivity. For example, instead of broadcasting seed, they have learned to grow and transplant seedlings for better results. “The difference in yield when using the new practices cannot be compared to the old practices. I used to harvest about 2.1 tons of rice per hectare. Now I get about 5.2 tons or more per hectare. The additional income has been life changing for my family. Paying school tuition for my children is no longer a burden, and I’ve even bought a car.” VCDP's support extended cultivation into the dry season through water pumps, boosting yearly production and income. Each woman tends their own plot, selling harvests at fair prices to Angel Rice Mill. Previously focused on subsistence farming, Evelyn learned from VCDP that farming is a business, revolutionizing her approach. The project's training on household management united families, fostering cooperation to achieve shared goals. Nutrition education transformed their health and farming abilities. Rice farming has been Evelyn’s livelihood for more than 15 years, although she also grows other crops. She suffered during the COVID pandemic in 2020 and was relieved when VCDP entered the community in 2021 with much needed support and its SDG 1 mandate of eliminating poverty. “The traditional mentality of most of our farmers here was subsistence farming. But VCDP taught us that farming is not just about eating, farming is a business,” explained Evelyn. “Today, I can boast about what VCDP has done in my life and marvel at the improvements in my family’s well being and farm conditions.” Nutrition was also an area of training for which the group members were especially grateful. “VCDP taught us that our life should be our priority. If you have good health, you can farm very well. Learning the importance of eating a nutritious, balanced diet has been life changing for us.” By Evelyn’s account, her engagement in the VCDP has been an education. She has had opportunities to travel to other communities and states across Nigeria to exchange knowledge and benefit from the experience of others. “VCDP doesn’t just give you inputs. They follow up with you. They will guide you to make sure you are using the inputs properly and following the best agronomic practices. No other organization does that. VCDP really cares about my family, my farm and my health.” The Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), which started its activities in 2014, works in close coordination with local government across nine states—Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, and Taraba—on developing cassava and rice value chains for smallholder farmers, rolling out development initiatives that aim to reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen food security and accelerate economic growth. Building strong public-private-producer partnerships (4Ps) has provided a solid pathway for reaching sustainable transformation in rural communities where agriculture is a mainstay of economic activity. VCDP helps households adopt sustainable and climate resilient practices, as well as dietary diversity that leads to better nutrition and health benefits. The project has benefited almost 100,000 rural people, in particular women and youth. The number of households living in poverty has decreased by almost 50 per cent, while agricultural income of more than 60 per cent of VCDP-supported beneficiaries has increased by 25 per cent. |
| Size: | 15.89 MB; 4320 x 6480 pixels; 366 x 549 mm (print at 300 DPI); 1143 x 1714 mm (screen at 96 DPI); |
| Show more details: | Andrew Esiebo |
| Copyright: | ©IFAD/Andrew Esiebo |
| Categories: | New from West and Central Africa |
| URL: | www.ifad.org |
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