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NEPAD, Bauchi to spend N4.2b on agribusiness

By Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi
08 June 2022   |   3:04 am
New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) and Bauchi State government are spending N4.2 billion to boost agribusiness and innovation to cushion effect of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) and Bauchi State government are spending N4.2 billion to boost agribusiness and innovation to cushion effect of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

At the launch of the 10-year programme in Bauchi, on Monday, the Managing Director of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the state, Dr. Esther Ahmed, observed the devastating effect of COVID-19 on smallholder farmers in Africa.

She said the African Union Development Agency (AUDA), through NEPAD, came up with the project tagged: ‘Innovative Strengthening of Small Holder Farmers’ Capabilities Towards Productive Land Restoration Amid COVID-19 in Nigeria’ based on SDG 2 (Ending hunger to achieve food security and improve nutrition by promoting sustainable agriculture).

Ahmed stressed that the programme was aimed at strengthening smallholder farmers’ capabilities, accelerate productive land restoration, combat desertification and promote the use of innovative technology to reduce post-harvest losses and maximise food security amid COVID-19 pandemic.

“Also, the programme will bring about increased food production, wealth and job creation, which will boost the economy, reduce vices in the communities and curb rural to urban migration in the state,” she added.

The 10-year programme, according to her, will have 10 per cent of its beneficiaries as People With Disabilities (PWDs) and 46 per cent as women farmers.

The Guardian gathered that N4,298,175,660 was budgeted for the project in the first year for about 5,400 beneficiaries – 2,895 males (53.61 per cent) and 2,505 females (46.39 per cent) and 10 per cent PWDs.

“The state has earmarked 2,400 hectares of land for the project in the three senatorial districts of the state with three local councils each, to participate in the project in the cluster farming – 1,200 beneficiaries for drip irrigation (dry season) and 1,800 beneficiaries for rain-fed farming,” she explained.

The MD added that 600 beneficiaries, mostly women and PWDs, are for greenhouse farming with 60 greenhouses to be constructed in the 20 local councils.

Governor Bala Mohammed identified a larger population of Bauchi residents as farmers, adding that his administration “is committed to the development of agriculture.”

He lauded AUDA-NEPAD for contributing to the sector’s development.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Kashim, the governor said the government’s N2 billion counterpart fund had been paid to the agency to boost food production, and that the state added another N2 billion.

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