It was sealed yesterday at the State House in Abuja by representatives of the Federal Government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the French Development Agency (AFD).

All the parties are co-funding the eight-year initiative, which was validated on March 21, last year following Vice President Kashim Shettima’s request during UNFSS stocktaking in Rome, Italy, on July 24, 2023.

Shettima had charged IFAD to scale-up its portfolio in Nigeria and mobilise more donor-partners to support the agri-food transformation and food security of the Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA).

The enterprise is expected to sustainably reduce poverty, enhance nutrition and better resilience of rural and most vulnerable populations in the nine Norths states of Borno, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoko, Yobe and Zamfara.

Speaking during the signing of the financing agreement, Shettima described the initiative as a product of critical thinking about the economic reality of the north.

In a statement issued by his media aide Stanley Nkwocha, the vice president described the initiative as a fulfilment of the promise made by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to reduce poverty and restore dignity to farmers and ensure food security.

The statement reads: “It is a declaration of faith in the North – not as a region of deficits, but as a place of abundance. It also invites us to play our part in fulfilling the promise to reduce poverty, nourish our people, and restore dignity to farming families across Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, and Zamfara.

“What has brought us together today is an investment of $158.15 million, co-financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Federal Government of Nigeria, and other stakeholders. This reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to prioritising what matters most – people, productivity, and prosperity.”

According to Shettima, the VCN feed into the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) programme across the country.

He said: “It will serve as a steady pipeline of raw materials and ensuring our processors no longer grope for quality inputs.

“This synergy will shift us from exporting raw produce to exporting value-added goods- creating jobs, wealth, and industrial stability.

“The recent global trade disruptions and the resurgence of protectionism are loud warnings to Nigeria to begin to grow what its people eat and produce what they trade.

“The agricultural tariffs and retaliatory postures of global powers like the U.S. and China have rattled commodity chains. For a nation that has long relied on food imports, the message is clear: we must grow what we eat and produce what we trade.

“The VCN answers this call. By making wheat, maize, and animal feed viable for commercial cultivation, and by investing in irrigation, processing, and storage facilities in states like Kebbi and Jigawa, we are not just securing food—we are laying the groundwork for agricultural exports that can rival our oil.”

Former Senate President Ahmed Lawan who spoke for the National Assembly, commended IFAD, the federal government and other partners for the conception of the programme, describing it as a well-thought-out initiative that will transform the lives and livelihoods of many in the target states and beyond.

He pledged the commitment and support of the National Assembly in the implementation of the various interventions contained in the programme.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Abubakar Kyari said the deal represents a significant milestone in the efforts to transform the agricultural landscape in Nigeria under the RHA.

Kyari noted that the participation of the nine states and the presence of other critical stakeholders underscore the commitment of the sub-nationals and the federal government in fostering inclusivity in agricultural development and economic empowerment.

Governors of Borno (Prof. Babagana Zulum), Jigawa (Umar Namadi) and Katsina (Dikko Radda), applauded the leadership provided by Tinubu and Shettima in the implementation of the VCN programme.

They pledged their commitment and support in the actualisation of the objectives of the various components of the programme and urged the executors to review the implementation design and timeline for states to maximize benefits.

IFAD Country Director Mrs. Dede Ekoue said the programme is a 158.15 million dollars project designed to transform agribusiness in nine northern states of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara, over a period of 8 years, targeting about 3.1 million households.

Also present at the meeting were some members of the National Assembly; Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmadu; Regional Director of IFAD, Mr. Bernard Mwinyel Hien; the deputy governors of Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Yobe and Bauchi States; heads of government agencies and representatives of development partners among others.

[TheNation]