Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation: EU-VACE TARED Project Takes Off

Dayo Thomas

Nigeria and Germany are joining forces to transform the country’s agricultural sector through the EU-VACE TARED project, a €18.3 million initiative aimed at promoting climate-smart practices, job creation, and inclusive value chain development. The four-year project, launched in October 2024, will focus on key agricultural value chains like cocoa, dairy, tomatoes, and ginger in seven states: Cross River, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Ondo, Oyo, and Plateau.

The EU-VACE TARED project is designed to support smallholder farmers and MSMEs, improve access to finance and international markets, promote climate-smart agriculture, and create decent work opportunities, especially for women and youth. The project is expected to have a significant impact on Nigeria’s agricultural sector, contributing to the country’s economic growth and food security.

To access the EU-VACE TARED project, interested parties can reach out to the implementing partners or relevant government agencies. The project is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

GIZ Nigeria is leading the implementation of the project and can provide more information on how to get involved. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is the main government counterpart for the project and can guide on how to access project benefits. Additionally, the state ministries of agriculture in Cross River, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Ondo, Oyo, and Plateau can provide more information on how to access the project.

The EU has committed over €87 million to climate-smart agriculture in Nigeria, with a broader Team Europe pipeline of nearly €1.5 billion in green economy initiatives.