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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Over 572 smallholder farmers have benefited from the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP) crop value chain intervention in the past four and half years.
The state Project Coordinator, Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, made this known while receiving a five-man mission led by Mr. Javed Khan from the Islamic Development Bank (IDP) at the Project Management Unit office in Kano.
“According to the Project Appraisal Document of the KSADP, the project through Sasakawa Africa Association, will impact 450, 000 primary beneficiary farmers while 100, 000 farmers will benefit through KNARDA. Already, Sasakawa has exceeded its target by supporting 477, 284 farmers,” he said.
The Coordinator expressed delight that the project has benefited farmers beyond Kano state, as peasant farmers from neighbouring states come to the state to buy quality seeds.
On the construction of 70-kilometre rural roads by the project, Muhammad noted that the original scope of the project was changed from earth access roads to tarred roads, with the approval of IDB for durability as earth roads do not stand the test of time.
Under the livestock value chain, he said the project had constructed 40 Milk Collection Centres while 60 are at various stages of completion.
This is in addition to the construction of a Veterinary Reference Laboratory, 20 slaughter houses, five cattle markets, conduct of annual livestock vaccination campaigns, among other things.
“But the major challenges we encountered during the execution of this project include delayed project implementation due to Covid 19, Naira redesign policy as well as inflation that hit the nation’s economy,” he emphasised.
Head of the mission, Mr. Javed Khan, was in the state to appraise ongoing projects and help the Project Management Unit towards a successful completion in June.
