The federal government Wednesday signed a financing agreement for the $158.15 million Value Chain Programme in Northern Nigeria (VCN) to revolutionalise the nation’s agriculture sector.
Speaking during the agreement signing ceremony for the VCN project at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the initiative is a product of critical thinking about the economic reality of the northern region.
He said the programme fulfills the promise made by President Tinubu to reduce poverty in Nigeria, restore dignity to the nation’s farmers and ensure food security.
“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,” he said.
Recalling that the administration recently commenced foundation laying for the construction of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) across Nigeria, the vice president said the VCN programme will feed into the SAPZs, serving as “a steady pipeline of raw materials and ensuring our processors no longer grope for quality inputs.