Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
The World Bank through the Federal Ministry of Agricultute and Rural Development will soon commence full implementation of the USD250 million Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project in Nigeria.
The National Project Coordinator, Mrs Winnie Lai Solarin disclosed this yesterday during a virtual meeting with States’ Project Desk and Communication Officers of the Project across the country.
She expressed appreciation to the Governors of the participating states for their support and commitment to the Project by providing office accommodation and approval of counterpart contributions, and in some states subsequent releases of the counterpart funds.
The National Coordinator further appealed to states to provide all the necessary support to the state teams to ensure full preparedness for the successful take off of the project in the country.
The Project, according to her, is a six year project with Project Development Objective to improve productivity, Resilience and Commercialization of selected livestock value chain.
“In Nigeria and indeed in many countries in Africa, Livestock remains very vital to the socio economic Development of the country and a major source of high quality animal protein intake . It also generate wealth, create rural jobs and add to the foreign exchange”,, she added.
Mrs Winnie in so many gatherings explained that, the project has three major components including
“strengthening National institutions on Livestock industry, to strengthen institutional and individual capacity”.
Others are, to enhance the value chain productivity as well as to promote conflict prevention between farmers and herders.
The National Coordinator further indicated that the project would be implemented in 15 States including the FCT, based on the fulfilments of certain laid down criteria by the World Bank in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
These states are Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Edo, Katsina and Niger.
Others are Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory.
The beneficiaries of the project will include producers of cattle, small ruminants, goats, poultry. Others are seeds growers and good animal husbandry practice.
The project will also support grazing reserves, farmer groups and other outreach groups who will benefit from extension and animal health services, smallholder households as well as other actors in the selected value chain among others.
A statement by the communication officer of the project in Bauchi State, Abdul D. Mohammed, indicated that, the State Project Desk officer, Dr Rose D. Idi, informed the National Project Coordinator during the Zoom meeting that the Bauchi State Governor,Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has approved and directed the release of the state counterpart contribution.
Dr. Rose Idi added that, Kufa grazing reserve in Alkaleri was identified as one of the intervention area in that direction. she said that, the grazing reserve was constructed 60 years back during the development Agenda of late Sir Ahmadu Bello( Sardaunan Sokoto) but now has become death trap for animals.
Communities in the area and the State Government are appreciative of the selection of the abandoned grazing reserve for the intervention.
The National Coordinator of the project, Mrs Winnie Lai Solarin led the virtual meeting and was supported by the National Communication Officer Mr Yomi Abe and the National Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr Sam Alabi and senior officers of the Project at the National Officer while all the States Project Desk and Communication Officers from the 15 participating states attended the virtual meeting. END