VCDP sensitises stakeholders on maintenance, sustainability of projects in Ogun
Sustainability
By Abiodun Lawal
Abeokuta, Dec. 22, 2025(NAN) The Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has enlightened stakeholders on the best ways to maintain and sustain all projects initiated by the agency in Ogun, as the programme gradually winds down.
Dr. Fatimoh Aliyu, National Programme Coordinator, VCDP, who spoke at a program on Monday in Abeokuta, said that the program has significantly benefitted farmers in Ogun.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the program was tagged: “Dissemination of Project Results, Roundtable and Outreach of State for Scaling Up and Sustainability.”
Aliyu, represented by Mrs Vera Onyeaka-Onyilo, the Knowledge Management and Communication Advisor, explained that the purpose of the programme was to disseminate VCDP’s project results and impact as well as engage stakeholders on the projects’ sustainability.
She explained that VCDP has done a lot by providing farmers with infrastructures such as processing centres, market stalls, aggregation centres , lock up stores and solar powered boreholes.
She added that the programme has also assisted farmers in the state in areas such as capacity building, good nutrition practices, and the empowerment of women and youth, among others.
“Gradually VCDP is winding down; we are looking at sustainability because a lot of money has gone into funding the project
“We want to start engaging the stakeholders early; that’s why we are having this town hall meeting with our beneficiaries, to engage with them and share ideas on how the projects’ intervention can be sustained even after the exit of VCDP.
”They have to own the projects in order to sustain it so that in years to come, the VCDP structures will still be standing.
“We’re expecting them to come up with sustainability plan, even though, we have put in place Commodity Alliance Forum (CAF) as an exit strategy.
“We’re not relying only on that; we also want each local government to alert us with their sustainability plan so that they will get acquainted with what they are supposed to do and even start before the project winds down,” she said.
NAN reports that the VCDP programme is an initiative of the federal government, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with the Ogun government and farmers associations.
The initiative aims to support smallholder farmers in the rice and cassava value chains, thereby enhancing their productivity to strengthen food security and promote economic growth.
Some of the participants who spoke at the event commended VCDP for the various interventions to boost food security in the state.
They listed some of the VCDP projects in various beneficiary local governments to include provision of Garri processing centres, solar powered boreholes, construction of bridges, culverts, market stalls and land clearing among others.
They called for the involvement of village and council heads for proper maintenance of the various interventions after the exit of VCDP. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
LKA/YAF
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Edited by Yetunde Fatungase