Borno, Yobe, five others to benefit from IFAD’s $85.5m agric support scheme

Seven northern states in Nigeria have been listed to benefit from $85.5 million agriculture support scheme initiated of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Federal Government.

The beneficiary States includes Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara while breakdown of the financial support includes $500, 000 grant from IFAD, $15 million grant from ASAP and $70 million as loan from IFAD.

The National Programme Coordinator, IFAD-CASP, Muhammad Lawal, during a facilitation training workshop at the weekend, in Abuja, he stated that the  Climate Change Adaptation and Agribusiness Support Programme (CASP) was specifically designed to boost agriculture in the seven northern states in savannah belt of the nation.

He said the programme which will be in partnership with Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development would run for seven years.

While speaking, IFAD Country Programme Manager, Ms. Atsuko Toda said about 120 programme officers from the selected states are to assist in the programme implementation, adding that the officers are to design an 18 months plan and map out means to realise the plan.

Borno State Programme Officer, Baba Ali-Yusuf, while commending the initiative, stressed that it would help restore livelihood of the people earlier sacked from their homes during the boko haram insurgency.

Yobe State programme officer, Ibrahim Bello also lauded the federal government and IFAD for developing the programme for survival of the people.