Kano: $95 Million IDB intervention to chan­­ge fortune of farmers

No fewer than 1, 260, 000 smallholder farmers in rural Kano are expected to benefit from the Agro-Pastoral Development Project, an Islamic Development Bank-supported project. The project is targeted to attract $95 million investment to transform the fortune of the farmers.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje disclosed this yesterday during a session with the officials of Africa Consulting and Trading (ACT) mission and public sector stakeholders of the project at government house, Kano. While emphasizing the opportunities abound in the new project, Ganduje said agriculture contributes more than 70 percent of its Gross State Product just as 50 percent of its populace engages in some form of agricultural activity including crops and livestock production. 

Represented by his deputy, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, the governor revealed that the project would improve farmers’ agricultural yield that will subsequently foster economic growth and development in the state. Ganduje who disclosed that the take-off of the project was initially delayed to resolve issues between the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Islamic Development Bank, expressed satisfaction on the resolution recently reached. He said the first tranche of the project funds would be made available soonest.

Earlier, the team lead, ACT mission, Joseph Lopez, stated that they were mandated by the Bank and its partners to conduct a needs assessment of the KSADP beneficiaries with a view to providing technical assistance. He said he was impressed by the enthusiasm of the state government towards the smooth take-off of the project and commended the project executing agency, KNARDA and the project management unit for their determination and teamwork.

State Project Coordinator, Kano Agro-Pastoral Development Project, Ibrahim Garba Muhammad explained that the project would among several things, engage in the development of grazing reserves, stock routes demarcation, crop productivity, livestock enhancement, provision of rural infrastructure and promotion of small rural enterprises as well as capacity building for farmers.