The Enugu State Government has commended women beneficiaries of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) for their growing contributions to food production, processing and food security in the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, gave the commendation on Thursday in Enugu during activities marking the 2026 International Year of Women Farmers.
Representing the commissioner, the State Project Coordinator of VCDP, Dr Edward Isiwu, expressed satisfaction with the achievements recorded by women beneficiaries of the programme across the state.
Isiwu disclosed that women account for more than 80 per cent of VCDP beneficiaries in Enugu State, noting that they were actively involved in various agricultural value chains across participating local government areas.
He commended Governor Peter Mbah for supporting farmers, particularly women, through counterpart funding for agricultural programmes.
According to him, IFAD, through VCDP, has continued to empower farmers across the world, with the programme currently being implemented in nine states in Nigeria, including Enugu.
“Food security is the key objective of the programme, as farming is now a lucrative activity,” Isiwu said.
The United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to recognise the critical role women play in global agri-food systems and highlight their contributions to food security, nutrition and economic resilience.
Also speaking, the Director of Gender, Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Esther Mbah, encouraged more women to embrace agriculture, saying their participation had contributed significantly to the wellbeing of their families and communities.
“You can see that they are no longer vulnerable, rather, they are more independent,” she said.
Sharing her experience, Mrs Eucharia Anyibuofu, a VCDP beneficiary from Enugu East Local Government Area and State Treasurer of the VCDP Women Network, said her perception of farming had changed significantly since joining the programme.
Anyibuofu said she had previously regarded farming as a menial occupation for older people but had since discovered that agriculture could provide a sustainable source of income.
She said VCDP had provided her with substantial support, including tricycles and logistics assistance to ease the transportation of farm produce to markets.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Felicia Aneke, Chairperson of the VCDP Women Network in Udenu Local Government Area, said the programme had transformed her from a peasant farmer into a commercial agricultural entrepreneur.
Aneke expressed appreciation to IFAD-VCDP for providing her with agricultural inputs, including 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 State Women Network Chairperson of VCDP, Mrs Lovelyn Ejim, praised the programme for its impact on women farmers across Enugu State.
Ejim, who has been involved in rice production for years, said the support received through VCDP had enabled her to expand into processing and marketing.
“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,” she said.
The event also featured presentations by various women farmers’ groups and the presentation of awards to outstanding women beneficiaries who performed best in different categories.
The celebration highlighted the growing role of women in agriculture in Enugu State, particularly in production, processing and marketing, as well as the importance of targeted interventions in strengthening their economic independence and contribution to food security.