Kano Agro Pastoral Dev. Project committed to poverty reduction,food security-Official

The Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project has reiterated commitment to improving food security as well as increase incomes and livelihood in the state, in line with the Federal Government’s Economic and Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Consequently, it will support the government’s efforts at enhancing agricultural productivity and competitiveness through access to inputs, value addition and market access, extension services and capacity building.

A statement by the Project Communication Specialist Ameen K. Yassar on Thursday and sent to Solacebase said the State Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, explained that the multi-million US Dollar project will contribute significantly to poverty reduction, job creation and food security in the state “through sustainable development of selected crop and livestock value chains”.

The statement said Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, stated this while receiving Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai, a former Vice-Chancellor, Kano University of Technology, Wudil, who is also the Principal Consultant, Center for Agro Entrepreneurship and Development, who visited the project office in the state capital.

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“As you may be aware, this project is funded mainly by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Fund, LLF, and it aims to improve livelihoods for the target groups by helping farmers to identify and manage their own development needs, improving livestock production and improving marketing systems and infrastructure for grains and livestock products,’’ said the statement.

“This project will, among other things, pay attention to some relevant cross-cutting issues such as private sector involvement and strengthening of existing institutions to improve services to farmers and herders. It may interest you to note that women and youth will be a particular focus of this project”.

According to the statement, Malam Ibrahim Garba, therefore assured that the project was ready to work closely with all stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental agencies and the private sector to ensure that the project’s mission and vision are achieved.

The statement said Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai explained that the Center for Agro Entrepreneurship and Development, is engaged in agribusiness and general entrepreneurship and livelihood training of especially women, youth and other vulnerable groups, to take advantage of the enormous goldmines that abound in agriculture and environmental management, for sustainable national development.

“We provide our trainees with hands-on skills and competencies needed to meet the demand of the fast-changing agricultural value chain and agribusiness systems for sustainable food security and economic development”, he stated.

In this regard, Prof. Yakasai said the visit to the Kano Agro Pastoral Project office was to explore ways of mutual cooperation with his centre, especially in the area of capacity building for the project’s target beneficiaries.