EU-VACE TARED project Nigeria launches with €18.3m to transform farming, boost jobs, and promote climate-smart agriculture

EU-VACE TARED project Nigeria has been launched with €18.3m in funding to transform agriculture, strengthen food systems, and create jobs through climate-smart practices.

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The four-year initiative, co-funded by the European Union, Germany, and Nigeria, will run from October 2024 to September 2028.

It will focus on four critical value chains cocoa, dairy, tomatoes, and ginger while promoting innovation, food security, and opportunities for women and youth.

Implementation will be led by GIZ in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

Seven states Cross River, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Ondo, Oyo, and Plateau will serve as project hubs.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“This project provides us with a unique opportunity to address challenges such as post-harvest losses, climate shocks, and limited financing.

It will enhance coordination, promote value addition, and build systems that protect farmers and consumers,” Abdullahi stated.

He also announced a steering committee to drive transparency and results, describing the EU-VACE TARED initiative as “a transformative pathway for agriculture.”

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, noted its importance for reducing Nigeria’s \$1.5bn annual dairy import bill, stressing that strengthening the dairy value chain would create industries, jobs, and social stability.

EU Ambassador Gautier Mignot highlighted youth engagement as a key priority: “Our goal is clear: foster inclusive, climate-smart, and commercially viable agriculture that creates decent jobs, especially for youth and women, while building a new generation of agripreneurs.”

Germany’s Deputy Head of Mission, Johannes Lehne, described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future, while GIZ Deputy Country Director Oladoyin Olawaiye stressed its social impact: “EU-VACE TARED is about more than agriculture – it is about creating jobs, resilience, and opportunities for young Nigerians to thrive at home.”

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The project is expected to support smallholder farmers and MSMEs with access to finance, skills, and international markets, ensuring agriculture becomes a stronger driver of inclusive and sustainable growth in Nigeria.