Nasarawa Assembly to enact law to sustain FG/IFAD-VCDP gains – Committee Chairman
Nasarawa Assembly to enact law to sustain FG/IFAD-VCDP gains – Committee Chairman
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to enact a law that will sustain the gains of the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development–Value Chain Development Programme (FG/IFAD-VCDP) for smallholder farmers in the state.
Dr Peter Akwe, Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, gave the assurance on Thursday during a field visit by a VCDP team to Barkin Abdullahi (B.A.D) Community in Lafia North Administrative Area.
The team was led by Mr Umar Tanko-Tunga, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Chairman of the VCDP Steering Committee in the state.
Akwe said the proposed legislation would institutionalise the programme’s interventions and ensure continuity and sustainability beyond its lifespan.
He commended the VCDP for its impact on rice and cassava value chains in the state, adding that the legislature would provide the necessary legal backing to protect the investments.
Residents of Barkin Abdullahi trooped out in large numbers to welcome the team, which inspected ongoing projects including a bridge at Takpa Road Rice Aggregation Centre, a cassava processing centre and a solar-powered borehole in the community.
Speaking at the various project sites, Tanko-Tunga said the visit was to assess the level of work done, expressing confidence that the projects, when completed, would significantly improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the area.
He assured that Gov. Abdullahi Sule would continue to prioritise agriculture as a key driver of economic development, and urged residents to take ownership of the projects and protect them against vandalism.
Also speaking, a member of the House representing Toto-Gadabuke constituency, Mr Garba Isimbabi, echoed the commitment of the legislature to enacting a law that would guarantee the sustainability of the programme.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Humanitarian Services, Barr. Hauwa Jugbo, the Administrator of Lafia North Administrative Area Council, and the State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Amb. Isaac Kigbu, said the interventions would reduce poverty and increase farmers’ incomes.
They urged beneficiaries to support government policies and programmes aimed at boosting agricultural productivity.
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In her remarks, Dr Eunice Adgidzi, the State Coordinator of VCDP, represented by her Technical Assistant, Mr Victor Alaku, said the visit was in line with the programme’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of smallholder rice and cassava farmers on a sustainable basis.
Alaku said the projects aligned with the vision of both the Nasarawa State Government and the Federal Government to enhance food security and reduce hunger and poverty.
Representatives of Kauna Women Garri Processors in B.A.D, Mrs Paulina Edom, and the youth leader of the area, Mr Charles Soja, appreciated the intervention, saying it had brought relief to the community.
The team also paid a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of the area, the Aren Koron-Kuje, Mr Joseph Namo, who appealed for the construction of a road linking Lafia to Barkin Abdullahi and commended Gov. Sule for his investment in agriculture.
