Report by ABDULLAHI JALALUDDEEN, Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
The Kano State Agro-pastoral Development Project (KSADP) has achieved a significant milestone, impacting over 572,309 smallholder crop farmers in the state through its crop value chain intervention.
The project, funded by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, aims to reduce poverty and strengthen food and nutrition security by developing agro-pastoral production systems.
The project’s scope includes capacity building, post-harvest support, market promotion, technology plots development, and provision of assorted labor equipment.
According to Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, State Project Coordinator of KSADP, the project has exceeded its target, supporting 477,284 farmers through the Sasakawa Africa Association.
He said the project has also benefited farmers beyond Kano state, with peasant farmers from neighboring states visiting to purchase quality seeds.
“In addition to its impact on farmers, the project has constructed 70 kilometers of rural roads, which were upgraded from earth access roads to tarred roads for durability.”
Under the livestock value chain, the project has constructed 40 Milk Collection Centres, with 60 more at various stages of completion.
Other achievements include the construction of a Veterinary Reference Laboratory, 20 slaughterhouses, five cattle markets, and the conduct of annual livestock vaccination campaigns.
“Despite facing challenges such as delayed project implementation due to COVID-19, Naira redesign policy, and inflation, the project is on track for completion in June this year. ”
A five-man mission led by Mr. Javed Khan from the Islamic Development Bank recently visited the project site to appraise ongoing projects and provide support for successful completion.
