The Niger State Programme Coordinator, SPC, of the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development, FG/IFAD, Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, Hajiya Hadizat Isah, has urged members of the Commodity Alliance Forum, CAF, to close ranks and work together to sustain the gains recorded under the programme as it prepares to wind down its activities.

Isah made the call in Minna during a meeting on the facilitation of market linkages and contractual agreements between off-takers and farmers’ organisations.

She explained that the exit of VCDP should not mean the end of the interventions and relationships established for the benefit of smallholder farmers, stressing that CAF members must first strengthen their own cooperation before seeking partnerships with other organisations.

“The activities of VCDP will stop, but those who want to sustain VCDP intervention need to come together. They need to have that synergy within themselves first before they can collaborate with others,” she said.

According to her, regular meetings were necessary for CAF executives and members to discuss their challenges, create partnerships and coordinate their activities effectively.

“If they are not meeting regularly, how will they discuss? How will they create partnership? How will they collaborate?” Isah asked.

She said the sustainability of VCDP’s interventions would require commitment from CAF, as well as collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, non-governmental organisations and other partners.

Isah also expressed concern over the inadequate utilisation of some processing and aggregation centres established through VCDP, urging CAF members to engage local government chairmen on how the facilities could be put to productive use.

The coordinator also called for the training received through VCDP to be stepped down to other levels, saying the knowledge and skills acquired by beneficiaries should continue to spread after the programme exits.

Meanwhile, the Commodity Alliance Forum signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Agricultural Graduates Association of Nigeria, AGAN, as part of efforts to sustain the agricultural support network created through VCDP.

AGAN Niger State Chairman, Hussani Usman, said the partnership would bring together financial institutions, off-takers, input suppliers and other value-chain actors to continue supporting VCDP beneficiaries.

He described the arrangement as a partnership designed to sustain the investments and consolidate the gains achieved under VCDP before its planned exit.

Chairman of Niger State CAF, Engr. Ibrahim Mohammed Kanko, said the partnership would strengthen farmers’ access to training, inputs and finance.

“We are here to strengthen our partnership with signing of MOU with AGAN in order to support our smallholder farmers in terms of training, access to input, access to finance and any other benefits that will benefit our farmers,” Kanko said.

Business and Marketing Development Officer of VCDP, Mrs Elizabeth Yisa, said the agreement would also strengthen relationships between farmers and off-takers and help prevent conflicts arising from contractual arrangements.

She explained that off-takers provide inputs to farmers under agreed arrangements, while farmers are expected to supply commodities such as cassava and rice, stressing the need for both parties to honour their obligations.

Stakeholders also urged farmers to repay their loans and increase production, particularly of cassava, while calling for more off-takers to create stronger markets for agricultural produce.

They noted that although progress had been recorded in rice production, farmers still needed to move further into cassava processing through value addition rather than relying largely on traditional products such as garri and fufu.

The meeting was attended by traditional and community leaders, financial institutions, farmers, off-takers and other agricultural value-chain stakeholders.