By Victoria Okpanachi
The Kogi State Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP-AF) has interacted with farmers and processors at the Karara processing centre in Lokoja Local Government Area, recording impressive progress in rice and cassava value chains.
The delegation was led by the Director Knowledge Management and Communications Advisor, Mrs. Vera Onyeaka-Onyilo, representing Dr. Fatima Aliyu, the National Programme Coordinator, FGN/IFAD-VCDP, alongside the Kogi VCDP team where they visited the centre to assess operations, engage beneficiaries and evaluate the impact of interventions under the FGN/IFAD-VCDP Additional Financing.
The Karara centre, which was constructed by IFAD/VCDP with a creche, solar-powered borehole, drying slabs and access road, has become a major hub for women processors in Kogi Local Government Area.
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Mrs. Cornelius Blessing, the head of the cluster at Karara centre, who is into cassava processing, said the support with borehole and cassava grater has reduced her workload and increased production of garri per week.
According to her, “Life was hard. We used to go far to fetch water and use a manual grater. Since VCDP brought this centre, our work is fast and neat. The food we produce has increased in Kogi, because we process every day and no cassava spoils again. This program has boosted food as well as our income.”
Mrs Sarah Titus, a farmer, who also spoke during the visit, said they were excited about the establishment of the centre, noting that the support from the Kogi State Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) had brought significant relief to them and reduced the burden of hard labour.
Ms.Hajara Samson, who also spoke on the impact of kogi VCDP, described the programme as a blessing, saying the training and facilities provided had given the farmers the knowledge and confidence needed to sustain the gains of the intervention.
She said they were prepared to put in the necessary effort to ensure that their lives continued to improve.
Ms. Samson also highlighted the value addition training provided by Kogi VCDP, saying the farmers had been taught how to make better use of cassava and its by-products.
She explained that cassava residues that were previously discarded could now be processed into animal feed, creating an additional source of income for farmers
She added that the farmers now understand the important role in ensuring food security, stressing that they were ready to increase production and contribute more meaningfully to the availability of food in the state and beyond.
She thanked Kogi VCDP for its support, describing the impact of the intervention on their farming activities and livelihoods as enormous.
