The Federal Government, through the IFAD-Assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), has strengthened support for farmers and vulnerable groups in Kogi State with the distribution of agricultural equipment and business start-up materials.
The intervention, held on Monday, August 17, 2026, in Lokoja, benefited farmers, women and 33 Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) drawn from Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Ibaji, Olamaboro and Kabba-Bunu Local Government Areas.
Representing the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojomah, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Moses Dare, described the initiative as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to ensuring that vulnerable members of society are not left behind in development efforts.
According to him, the programme goes beyond the distribution of physical materials, as it is designed to create opportunities for beneficiaries to become economically independent and improve their livelihoods.
Dare encouraged recipients to put the items to productive use and work through cooperative structures to maximise the benefits of the intervention.
The State Project Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Dr Stella Adejoh, said the programme was committed to creating opportunities for persons living with disabilities, stressing that disability should not prevent anyone from becoming productive.
She explained that participating farmers contributed 30 per cent of the cost of their equipment, while the materials provided to the 33 PWD beneficiaries came at no cost to them.
The PWD beneficiaries received items such as bags of rice, tables, chairs, bowls and Point of Sale (POS) terminals. Adejoh noted that they had also undergone training to prepare them for the effective management of their small businesses.
She added that approximately 300 farmers received various agricultural tools, including knapsack sprayers, solar-powered pumping machines, threshers, wheelbarrows and shovels.
In another aspect of the intervention, 350 women received energy-efficient cooking stoves connected to briquetting machines. The machines utilise rice husks and other agricultural waste to produce briquettes that can serve as an alternative source of fuel.
Adejoh urged all recipients to use the materials for their intended purposes, emphasising the importance of ensuring that the intervention produces lasting benefits.
She also commended Governor Ahmed Ododo for the prompt release of the state’s counterpart funds and acknowledged the Ministry of Agriculture for its continued support for the programme.
The VCDP coordinator disclosed that 7,575 farmers had been profiled across the five participating LGAs, with about 5,600 already receiving assistance under the cassava and rice value chains.
The intervention is expected to contribute to increased agricultural productivity, improved livelihoods, reduced post-harvest losses and enhanced food security in Kogi State.
Beneficiaries, including Yakubu Mohammed of Olamaboro, Glory Omale of Ibaji and Latifat Babatunde of Ajaokuta, expressed appreciation to IFAD, VCDP and the Kogi State Government for the support.
A beneficiary of the briquette stove also expressed gratitude, explaining that the stove operates with briquettes produced from rice husks.
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