Nine States To Benefit From World Bank’s $200m

The programme, tagged Agriculture Productivity Processing Enhancement and Livelihood Scheme Project (APPEALS), will focus on food security, local production, job creation and economic diversification.

Dr Sheu Salau, the bank’s Task Team Leader, revealed at a two-day Wrap-up meeting on Commercial Agriculture Development Project (CADP) held in Kaduna.

According to Salau, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Cross River, Kogi and Enugu have been selected to participate in the programme while the remaining three states would be announced after fulfilling set conditions.

He said “The project supports the country policy thrusts on food security, local production, job creation and economic diversification.

“It responds to the recurring issues of low productivity, limited farmers’ participation to agribusiness supply chains, and institutional realignment in the agricultural sector. “

“The project will tackle the key constraints of the Nigeria agriculture sector, such as low productivity, lack of seed funds for establishing agro-processing plants, lack of access to supportive infrastructure, and low level of technology adoption and limited access to markets.

“Priority value chains under the project will include products with potential for immediate improvement of food security, products with a potential for export and foreign currency earnings (Cocoa and Cashew) and enhancement of the national production of crops including rice, maize, cassava and wheat.

The team leader also stated that 35 per cent of the amount would go to projects to support youth and women in the participating states.

“The number of project’s direct beneficiaries is 60,000 individuals, 35 percent of which will be women.

Recall that the World Bank in March, 2017 approved the $200 million credit to support the Federal Government in enhancing agricultural productivity of small and medium scale farmers.