The federal government says it has empowered 27,302 farmers in Niger to encourage agricultural productivity and enhance food security.

The programme is being implemented in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (FG/IFAD-VCDP).

Hadiza Isah, the state programme coordinator, said this in an interview with journalists on Saturday in Abuja.

She said the beneficiaries comprising 12,095 males and 9,132 females, have been empowered in rice production and value addition, while 3,035 males and 2,398 females received training in cassava production.

Ms Isah said the VCDP project is being implemented in Bida, Katcha, Wushishi, Kontagora, Shiroro, Borgu, Edati and Mokwa local government areas.

She said the intervention was designed to reduce poverty by increasing the income of smallholder farmers, improve food security and accelerate economic growth.

Ms Isah said the VCDP goals aim to strengthen the value chain, reduce post-harvest losses, improve nutrition, increase market access, and improve productivity, among others.

She said the beneficiaries were also exposed to rice and cassava processing and empowered communities with processing facilities in the two value chains.

Ms Isah said, “At the moment, the populace now has access to food and income, among others.

“VCDP, considering the volume of rice production in the beneficiary communities, established a processing centre for women groups based on their request.

“Any rice harvested here is processed locally and attracts more market than rice produced in local government areas that are not under the project.”

The coordinator said the feat achieved by the Edati LGA programme attracted interest from other areas and attributed the success to the incorporation of good agronomic practices in the project.

(NAN)