Oluwafunbi Bello 
Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojomah
LOKOJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development-assisted Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) have empowered 683 beneficiaries in Kogi State with farming equipment, business support and livelihood tools to boost agricultural productivity and economic inclusion.
The intervention, unveiled on Monday in Lokoja, benefited 300 farmers, 350 women and 33 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Ibaji, Olamaboro and Kabba-Bunu Local Government Areas.
Representing the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojomah, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Moses Dare, said the programme was designed to strengthen livelihoods and promote economic independence among vulnerable groups.
He urged beneficiaries to maximise the support by using the equipment productively and working through cooperatives.
State Project Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Stella Adejoh, said the intervention demonstrated the programme’s commitment to inclusive economic development.
She disclosed that farmers contributed 30 per cent of the cost of their equipment, while the items distributed to persons with disabilities were provided free of charge.
The 33 PWD beneficiaries received business support items, including Point of Sale (POS) terminals, rice, tables, chairs and bowls after undergoing entrepreneurship training.
Meanwhile, the 300 farmers received modern agricultural equipment, including knapsack sprayers, solar-powered water pumps, threshers, wheelbarrows and shovels to improve farm operations.
Adejoh also revealed that 350 women benefited from energy-efficient cooking stoves linked to briquetting machines capable of converting rice husks and other agricultural waste into fuel.
She added that the programme has profiled 7,575 farmers across the five participating local government areas and has already supported about 5,600 rice and cassava farmers through various value chain interventions.
According to Adejoh, the initiative is expected to improve agricultural productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, create sustainable livelihoods and strengthen food security across Kogi State.
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Hope Ajayi 
Abah Felicity 
