7 States get IFAD’s $80m grant for climate change adaptation

The International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), has provided $80million facility to support climate change adaptation programme in seven states, including Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Borno, Yobe, Kastina and Zamfara, as part of Agriculture Support Programme.

The gesture according to IFAD Country Representative to Nigeria, Atsuko Toda, was to assist state government in strengthening three value chain of their choice, including markets, off-takers, processors, organising farmer organisation, production, capacity building on better management of farm practices.

Speaking during the launch of the programme at the weekend in Abuja, Toda said the objective was to change mindset of smallholder farmers, making them to see that agriculture is a business and not a development programme.

She added that IFAD also plans to support Agricultural Enterprises in 104 local government councils in choosing the right business, remarking that they would particularly focus on youths, so that they could train other youths.

Toda also disclosed that they intend to work with communities to identify there priority needs to Community Development Associations, adding, “we are going to identify the needs of the benefiting communities and finance those needs, in the process link them to the value chain

The IFAD representative pointed out that the Fund plans to build on the experiences of the Community Based Rural Development Programme (CBRD), adding that they would work with 12 LGAs in each of the participating states.