| ID: | 82967 |
|---|---|
| Country: | Nigeria |
| Title: | Nigeria - Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) – November 2023 |
| Description: |
A day labouror hired by Dorothy Chia Vandefan, aged 38, harvests rice in one of Dorothy’s fields located in Makurdi, Benue State, east-central Nigeria. A prosperous rice producer and entrepreneur specializing in certified rice seeds, Dorothy markets certified rice seed, parboiled rice and other agricultural products through her company, Gedalya Synergy Resources. With VCDP support and through her own initiative, Dorothy has steadily enhanced her agricultural ventures and contributed to the local farming community. Dorothy's journey before the Value Chain Development Program (VCDP) was marked by uncertainty and lack of direction. Despite coming from a farming family and holding an agricultural engineering degree, she struggled to see farming as a viable business and felt unsatisfied professionally. However, joining the VCDP changed her perspective entirely. It transformed her view of agriculture, showing her its potential as a thriving business, and she began approaching farming as a means of adding value to her community. Through VCDP, Dorothy gained essential knowledge about optimal farming practices, including planting times and techniques, fertilizer application and, of course, the invaluable use of certified seed. This improved her produce significantly, increasing her rice yield from 10 bags per hectare to an impressive 35 bags. She expanded her cultivated land from one hectare to ten, diversified her crops, and engaged in certifications for her rice seed, driven by a commitment to comply with the criteria set by the National Agricultural Seed Council. As a woman farmer, Dorothy faced challenges such as limited access to land and the devastating impact of climate change. She experienced substantial losses due to floods, which wiped out a significant portion of her farm. Despite these setbacks, she persevered. Her dedication to continuous learning is evident through her participation in numerous training programs, including business development and seed production. Dorothy's story is a testament to her resilience and determination in transforming her farming practices, contributing to food security in Nigeria, and striving to overcome the hurdles faced by women farmers in accessing resources and combating climate change effects on agricultural productivity. 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: | 21.47 MB; 6480 x 3641 pixels; 549 x 308 mm (print at 300 DPI); 1714 x 963 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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