Mastercard Foundation, IDH Partner Ekiti to Deepen Cassava Value Chain Development.

Mastercard Foundation, IDH Partner Ekiti to Deepen Cassava Value Chain Development.

The Ekiti State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing a secure and enabling environment for agribusiness investors, as the Mastercard Foundation and IDH Netherlands visited the state’s Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) to assess progress in cassava value chain development.

In Pic: Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade.

The Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, gave the assurance during the visit, describing the organisations as critical partners in the state’s drive to boost agricultural productivity and economic growth.

Boluwade said the government would continue to support investors and ensure adequate security for farming communities to enhance sustainable agribusiness operations.

He added that the state was also prioritising support for programme participants, particularly young women, through the provision of mechanisation services aimed at improving productivity and efficiency.

The assessment tour took the delegation to Itapaji and Iyemero Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area, where youths participating in the Mastercard Foundation-funded WISE programme turned out in large numbers to receive the visitors.

The delegation included the Country Director of Mastercard Foundation in Nigeria, Ms. Rose Fynn, and the Global Director of IDH Netherlands, Mr. Kebba Coiley. They inspected project sites at Promise Point Farm in Itapaji and FMS Farms Ltd in Iyemero.

Speaking during the visit, Fynn commended the participating youths for their commitment and performance, noting that their level of engagement was encouraging.

In the same vein, Coiley expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the programme and the positive feedback from beneficiaries.

The WISE (Women in Sourcing Enterprise) programme is designed to create employment opportunities for youths, especially women aged between 18 and 35, within the cassava value chain.

No fewer than 7,500 beneficiaries are currently participating in the programme through four partner organisations in the state: FMS Farms Ltd, Promise Point Farm, ABAAS and Value Ingredients Ltd.

Funded by the Mastercard Foundation and implemented by IDH, the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural development in the state.

IDH, an international organisation established in 2008 in the Netherlands, partners with public and private sector stakeholders to develop sustainable agricultural markets, improve smallholder livelihoods and promote fair working conditions.