The World Bank, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture, has organised a one-day sensitisation programme aimed at boosting agricultural production especially at the grassroots.
The meeting, tagged; Agro-processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support Project (APPEALS) was held at New Choice Auditorium, Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area (LGA).
Mr Yahaya Aminu, the Project Coordinator, said the objective of the project was to enhance agricultural productivity of small and medium scale farmers and improve value addition along priority value chains in dairy, ginger and maize.
“This will be achieved through supporting farmer’s productivity and their linkage to markets, facilitating consolidation of agricultural products and cottage processing.
“It would also facilitate small and medium scale farmers, and medium businesses clustering and connection to infrastructure and network, as well as business services,”
Aminu said.
Mr Elias Manza, the Chairman of Zangon Kataf LGA, urged
articipants at the meeting to leverage on the opportunity designed to boost agricultural production, in addition to its economic value.
“Let us also extend all acquired knowledge to those who are not privilege to be here,” Manza said.
He called on the organisers to extend the project beyond the zonal to local government levels, as the project was another avenue to improve people’s lives.
Also, Mr Peter Averik, Chairman of Jema’a LGA expressed satisfaction with the meeting, which he described as timely because it would go a long way in educating farmers on global best practices in mechanised farming.
Averik urged farmers and herdsmen to tolerate each other in other to enjoy the benefits the project and other related ones were offering.
Mrs Ruth Musa, a participant from Zangon Kataf LGA, expressed delight over the project and prayed for its sustainability.
NAN reports that the meeting attracted an unprecedented turnout of persons.
