FG Distributes High-Tech Farm Equipment in Nasarawa, Vows to End Post-Harvest Losses for Smallholder Farmers
By
Edmund Owusu
LAFIA, Nasarawa State – February 5, 2026 – In a decisive move to bolster national food security and alleviate the economic burden on rural farmers, the Federal Government has flagged off the distribution of multi-million naira agricultural and post-harvest equipment to farming clusters across Nasarawa State.
The initiative, part of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), was officially launched by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, CON, during a two-day working visit to the state. The Minister was joined by the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, CON, at the Government House in Lafia.
Modernizing the "Seed-to-Plate" Journey
The equipment distributed is specifically designed to address the "missing link" in Nigerian agriculture: processing and market readiness. By providing local farmers with the tools to process their own harvests, the government aims to stop the cycle of post-harvest waste that often leaves farmers in debt.
The intervention package includes:
Logistics & Transport: 46 Tricycles to help move produce from remote farms to markets.
Rice Processing: 16 Steam Parboiling Machines, 18 Milling Machines, and 10 De-stoning Machines.
Quality Control: 3 High-tech Rice Color Sorters and 11 Digital Weighing Scales to ensure farmers get fair market prices.
Root Crop Support: 4 Cassava Grating Machines and Automated Fryers for Garri production.
A Partnership Focused on People
Speaking at the ceremony, Sen. Abubakar Kyari emphasized that the VCDP is a core pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s "Renewed Hope" agenda.
"Agriculture must deliver results—food for our people, jobs for our youth, and real income for our farmers," the Minister stated. "Nasarawa State is leading the way in this transformation. Our goal is to ensure that these machines don't just sit in warehouses but are used to empower the 150,000 farmers already reached by this program."
Governor Abdullahi Sule reaffirmed the state’s commitment to the partnership, noting that Nasarawa has been proactive in paying its counterpart funding to ensure no farmer is left behind. He further pledged that the state would institutionalize the VCDP model to ensure its benefits continue even after the current program cycle concludes in 2026.
Impact on the Ground
For the farmers of Nasarawa, this is more than just a delivery of machinery; it is a lifeline. By shifting from subsistence farming to "Agriculture as a Business," the program targets the inclusion of women and youth, providing them with the technology to compete in a modern economy.
The Minister and Governor later toured project sites in Kwanka and Ashangwa, where they commissioned newly completed agricultural infrastructure and met with beneficiaries who are already seeing increased yields and higher profits.
About VCDP
The Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) is a joint initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). It focuses on enhancing the productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers and agro-processors within the rice and cassava value chains.
IMAGE: #NIGERIA GOV