International Year of Woman Farmer: Enugu Govt. commends IFAD-VCDP women

ENUGU — The Enugu State Government has commended women beneficiaries of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) for their contributions to food production and processing in the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, gave the commendation on Aug. 28, 2026, at the celebration of the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) 2026 in Enugu.

The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer to recognise and highlight the essential contributions of women to global agri-food systems, particularly in food security, nutrition and economic resilience.

Speaking on behalf of the commissioner, the State Project Coordinator of VCDP, Dr Edward Isiwu, expressed satisfaction with the achievements recorded by women beneficiaries of the programme in the state.

Isiwu disclosed that more than 80 per cent of VCDP beneficiaries in Enugu were women, adding that they were actively contributing to various agricultural value chains across the participating local government areas.

He commended Gov. Peter Mbah for supporting farmers, particularly women, and said the administration had consistently provided counterpart funding for agricultural programmes.

According to him, IFAD has an empowerment reach across the world through VCDP and is currently implementing the programme in nine states in Nigeria, including Enugu.

“Food security is the key objective of the programme, as farming is now a lucrative activity,” he said.

Also speaking, the Director of Gender in the Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Esther Mbah, encouraged women to engage in agriculture, stressing that their contributions had significant benefits for their families and society.

“You can see that they are no longer vulnerable, rather, they are more independent,” Mbah said.

Mrs Eucharia Anyibuofu, a beneficiary from Enugu East Local Government Area and State Treasurer of the VCDP Women Network, said she previously regarded farming as a menial occupation for older people but had since changed her perception.

Anyibuofu said farming had become a sustainable source of income for her, adding that she had received substantial support from VCDP, including tricycles and logistics to facilitate the transportation of farm produce to markets.

Another participant, Mrs Felicia Aleke, Chairperson of the VCDP Women Network in Udenu Local Government Area, said she had progressed from peasant farming to commercial agriculture.

Aleke thanked IFAD-VCDP for providing her with herbicides, fertiliser and cassava stems.

“I registered as a producer in VCDP, but now, I am also a processor and marketer of food produce,” she said.

Similarly, the VCDP State Women Network Chairperson, Mrs Lovelyn Ejim, commended the programme for reaching women across the state and transforming their livelihoods.

“I have been in rice production for years. But today, I am not just a producer but equally a processor and a marketer.

“This wouldn’t have been possible, if not for the intervention of IFAD-VCDP,” Ejim said.

The event also featured presentations by various women groups and the presentation of awards to the best-performing women in different categories.