The National Coordinator of the Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, Dr Fati Aliyu, has disclosed that, to mitigate the effects of climate change and boost crop yields, the agency has entered into an agreement with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, to provide daily weather forecasts to smallholder farmers in nine states.

The participating states include Niger, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa, Kwara, Taraba, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu.

Dr Aliyu made this known during the graduation of youth fabricators and the distribution of equipment to beneficiaries of the VCDP Adaptation for Smallholders Agriculture Programme, ASAP grant in Minna, Niger State.

According to her, the partnership has led to the establishment of mini weather stations in local government areas, where farmers receive forecasts in their local languages to enable them to make informed decisions about their agricultural activities.

Dr Aliyu also explained that the ASAP grant included the distribution of equipment to 45 beneficiaries across nine local government areas in Niger State. These include cassava peel conversion machines, rice husk briquette machines, solar-powered irrigation water pumps, power tillers for bunds, and laptops and phones for climate information.

The national coordinator further noted that the grant is designed to strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers against climate change in two of the nine participating states, targeting 24,000 beneficiaries—19,000 farmers in Niger State, including women, and the remaining 5,000 in Kogi State.

“The intervention covers climate-resilient planting materials, soil conservation, waste-to-wealth initiatives, improved access to water resources, and renewable energy solutions.

“Additionally, youths were trained in fabricating agricultural equipment, empowering them with practical skills to create jobs and support farmers,” she added.

The Niger State governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, represented by his deputy, Yakubu Garba, commended VCDP for the initiative, which he said aligns with the state’s desire to revolutionise agriculture.

He expressed appreciation to the federal government and IFAD/VCDP for recognising the state’s efforts in agriculture and assured continued support, while congratulating the beneficiaries of the ASAP grant who were trained on the maintenance and fabrication of agricultural equipment.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Engr Marcus Ogunbiyi, represented by Mohammed Bashir Abdulkadir, a director, said empowering youths with practical skills is crucial for strengthening the agricultural machinery ecosystem.

The state coordinator of VCDP, Hajiya Hadizat Isah, thanked the state government for providing an enabling environment for the programme and called for the payment of counterpart funding for 2025.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Ahmed Matthew, observed that the equipment given to beneficiaries would go a long way in encouraging youths to venture into agriculture, as well as helping farmers reduce post-harvest losses.

Representatives of NAMDA, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Minna-Green House, the Chairman of Edati Local Government, and the Executive Director of the National Animal Production Research Institute, NAPRI, also applauded the initiative, saying it would bring growth and development to the agricultural sector.