450,000 farmers to benefit from Kano Agro-pastoral project

Kano State Agro-Pastoral Project (KSADP) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sasakawa Africa/SG 2000 for the implementation of agricultural interventions that would impact 450, 000 smallholder farmers in the state.

The state deputy governor, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, who is also the chairman, Project Steering Committee, KSADP, and Dr Amit Roy, vice- chairman of Sasakawa Africa, signed the pact on behalf of their organisations.

Speaking shortly after the signing formality, Gawuna described the occasion as a memorable milestone in the agricultural development of Kano State.

It would be recalled that last February, the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Project, an Islamic Development Bank-funded project, with the support of Life and Livelihoods Fund, was formally inaugurated to contribute to poverty reduction and to strengthen food and nutrition security of the vulnerable population in Kano State

According to him, interventions under the MoU include the provision of seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, post-harvest handling, value addition and agri-business services.

He disclosed that the interventions also include the design and execution of value chain extension training to raise the skills and knowledge of 18, 000 farmer facilitators, 440 processors, 220 fabricators, 1,000 community- based extension staff and 220 frontline extension staff as well as core staff of the KSADP.

He, however, hinted that under the agreement, KSADP would finance Sasakawa annually upon the submission of its annual work-plan and budget and clearance by KSADP within a five-year period.

His words, effective from the 2020 planting season, the technical cooperation aimed to enhance food security, alleviate poverty and create jobs, among other things, in rural communities of the state.

He further disclosed that: “KSADP is our flagship project and its aim is to attain food security, increase production and productivity as well as generate employment and more income for our people, especially the rural poor.”

“Because of our huge population and the fact that majority of our people are farmers, we are determined to take advantage of the technical expertise of Sasakawa to make agriculture a more sustainable and rewarding venture by assisting our farmers with facilities and inputs, and building the capacity of our agricultural extension workers.”

 

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