The Federal Government of Nigeria, in partnership with the European Union (EU) and the Government of Germany, has launched the €18.3 million EU-VACE TARED Project — a four-year initiative designed to modernise Nigeria’s agriculture sector through climate-smart practices, value chain development, and job creation.
The EU-VACE TARED (Agriculture Value Chain Facility – Transformative Agricultural Systems for Rural Economic Development) project will focus on four priority crops — cocoa, dairy, tomatoes, and ginger — and will be implemented in seven states: Cross River, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Ondo, Oyo, and Plateau. Running from October 2024 to September 2028, the programme will be executed by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Speaking at the launch on Wednesday, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in areas of food security, poverty reduction, economic growth, and inclusivity. He described the project as a “transformative pathway” to address post-harvest losses, climate shocks, and financing gaps, while announcing a steering committee to ensure transparency and measurable results.
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, underscored the importance of reviving Nigeria’s dairy value chain. “Today, we spend $1.5 billion importing dairy products. This project offers us the chance to build local industries, create jobs, and reduce dependency on imports,” he said.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, highlighted the project as part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and Team Europe initiative, noting that it would foster “inclusive, climate-smart, and commercially viable agriculture” that creates opportunities for women and youth. He confirmed that the EU is currently investing over €87m in agriculture and climate-resilient programmes in Nigeria, with a broader pipeline of €1.5bn in green economy initiatives.
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German Deputy Head of Mission, Johannes Lehne, described the project as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s agricultural future, while GIZ’s Deputy Country Director, Oladoyin Olawaiye, emphasised its wider social impact.
“EU-VACE TARED is about more than agriculture – it is about resilience, jobs, and giving young Nigerians opportunities to thrive at home,” Olawaiye said.
The project is expected to empower smallholder farmers and MSMEs with new skills, strengthen access to finance and international markets, promote climate-smart practices, and position Nigeria’s agricultural sector as a driver of inclusive and sustainable growth.