Enugu State Targets 10, 000 Farmers For Empowerment Under APPEALS Project – Odigbo

Mr Christian Nwachukwu Odigbo is Enugu State project coordinator for APPEALS (Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support). It is a World Bank project in collaboration with the federal and Enugu State governments. In this interview, the coordinator discusses the concept of the scheme.

What is APPEALS all about?

The project targets farmers. There are six participating states in APPEALS in Nigeria, and Enugu State is the only state in the South East. Enugu State’s comparative advantages are in rice, cashew and poultry production and processing. It is a time-bound project that is operating in Enugu, Lagos, Cross River, Kaduna, Kano and Kogi states.

What impact has this project had or is having on farmers?

The project gives grants in the form of farm input. Those who have benefitted or still benefitting are given farm input. Poultry farmers who applied and received approvals are supplied birds, battery cages, drinkers, feeders, tanks, boreholes, or whatever the NEEDS assessment shows that they need for optimal production. We evaluate what such farmers have in their farms, the level of technology they operate, and what they need to move higher. It also depends on the scale of preference. We identify the most important ones.
The farmers that have benefitted have had their productivity enhanced. Those who are in broiler business have had their meant production increased. The same thing goes for those who are into egg production. Rice farmers have also seen their acreages and turnover increased. The same goes to cashew farmers. Additionally, there has been value addition. Hitherto, harvested products are allowed to spoil. With this scheme, such has been averted through processing. We have also provided logistics for those who are in marketing to be able to receive the input and products. The impact has been huge.

How many farmers have benefitted from this scheme in the state?

We have supported over 1, 000 farmers in the state. They come in the form of cooperative groups that have been supported. Many more are in the process of being supported. We have also supported over 1, 700 youths under the programme, particularly meant for women and youths. Over 3, 000 farmers have been affected directly by the supply of input. The other impact is on employment. For every farm supported, they have been able to employ additional one or two hands. These second level beneficiaries have gained employment to take care of themselves.
In addition, the gross domestic product of the state has increased. The project targets increase in the availability of food through rice supply. For instance, if Enugu State was initially generating 1, 000 tonnes of rice before the support came, our project has increased it, thereby increasing food supplies in the state. Meat and egg production has also increased in the poultry section. Then cashew targets exports. Enugu State’s cashew is among the best species in the world. Our farmers at Orba, Udi, Ezeagu, Oji River, Igbooeze etc have challenges in preserving them after harvest. If they are not stored very well immediately after harvest, oil will affect the nuts. We have been able to train them to understand how to preserve cashew immediately they are harvested. We have also been able to help them to process their harvest. So the impact has been immense in terms of employment, direct support to the farmers, GDP growth and the overall empowerment of farmers in the state. It has not yet ended. We target 10, 000 farmers as direct beneficiaries. We can do that.

What are the processes of accessing the scheme?

We have two programmes that have direct beneficiaries. The first one is grant support to cluster groups. Under that one, you must be a member of a cooperative society. The first step is to register a cooperative society with other farmers who are doing the same business, and who one can work together with. The cooperative is registered at the Ministry of Human Capital Development at the state secretariat. Secondly, it is meant for those who are already in business. This means that a beneficiary must have been in the business: poultry, rice or cashew. The beneficiary then applies to our office in what is called expression of interest. The office will review the application. A staff of the office will actually visit the location of the farm, and do NEEDs assessment to ascertain what such farmers actually need. After that, a value chain investment plan will be developed, which will be sent to the World Bank. Once the approval is given, we invite the person for a meeting. We don’t give money. We use service providers to provide the input. What gets to the farmer finally is the input. The service provider provides them; we then confirm and brand them, and the deal is struck. We visit from time to time, to ensure that what is supplied is not diverted. Visitors could also come from the World Bank, the federal government and the state to inspect the operations.
Under the second programme for women and youths, the targets are the young people who are starting afresh. You don’t need to have already established businesses to benefit from the scheme. Presently we are concluding the empowerment of 1, 700 prospective beneficiaries. Each of them will be given input worth about N2m. They have been trained. The process includes training, business name registrations, and the development of business plans. Finally, they will be credited. About half of them have been credited. The application has stopped for the women and youths’ programme. That of the cooperative is ongoing.

How do you factor the disabled and other vulnerable into the scheme?

Under the women and youths’ programme, 35% is specifically for women. Ten percent is for persons with disabilities. We call them persons with disabilities or special needs. We give them preferences. The project mandates the state coordinators to include them.

How much support do you get from the state government?

The project wouldn’t have been possible without the state government. Enugu State is the only state in the South East that is among the beneficiaries. It was only made possible because HE Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi expressed interest to the World Bank, and met the requirements. One of the requirements is the payment of the counterpart funds. Enugu State paid her counterpart fund of N244m, and provided the office space where we are. The governor has been supporting the project for us to meet our mandates. This is a major milestone of empowerment in agric business in the state.

Are there challenges?

They are many, but we are also put there to resolve challenges. If there were no challenges, we won’t be employed. Our major challenge is the sincerity of the beneficiaries. Many people want to boycott the processes. They want to get the money and move it to another sector. But this programme is for agriculture. After the empowerment, a beneficiary also owes the state continuity of the projects. So sabotage by the beneficiaries is our major challenge.

Are there areas to improve upon?

Things can always get better. We wish the fund were bigger to carry more people along. We wish we could have more regularity in terms of batches of beneficiaries. We request more support from the government, although the state is already doing very much.

How could LGAs key into this?

They could key in by helping us to advertise the project. They can also help us in identifying sincere farmers. We need those who are actually farmers, and not those who take away the benefits and disappear from the main purpose.

What is your message to Ndi Enugu?

Agriculture is a modern business. It is a business a young person can go into and become successful in life. It is a career that can be technologically enhanced; it is no more the kind our forefathers did. Again, those that have benefitted should continue the process. Support the government by making food available by being sincere with the goals of this scheme. We should also appreciate our governor for being supportive. Finally, the project is open and real. You don’t need to know anybody or lobby. Come and apply, and follow the process.