Kano To Launch $95m Agro-pastoral Development Project
The Kano State Agro- Pastoral Development Project, a $95 million venture largely supported by the Islamic Development Bank, will be unveiled in December.
The Islamic Development Bank is contributing $90 million while the Kano State government would put in $5 million to the project, which would be implemented over a five – year period.
The project aims to support the state government to develop pastoral communities, address security and other challenges caused by transhumance, ensure natural resources management, agricultural productivity enhancement, value addition and market access improvement, rural infrastructure provision and institutional capacity strengthening for smallholder farmers, among other things.
The Manager, Agriculture Global Practice (Economic and Social Infrastructure), Islamic Development Bank, Mr. Nur Abdi, revealed this during a meeting with the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in Kano recently.
“This project is the bank’s biggest investment in Nigeria, the biggest in one approval and the biggest in any state. That is why we are so much paying attention to it.
“We are inviting other partners like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, BMF, to the workshop to show case the commitment of Kano to the success of the project, “Abdi stated.
“It will contribute to the prosperity of Kano – that is why I am here from the bank’s headquarters in Jeddah, to discuss implementation arrangement project design,” he explained.
He explained that in line with the bank’s commitment to assist member-countries and as a demand – driven institution, he had met with the Project Management Unit, whereby it was agreed that option should be considered for Babban Gona, one of the pre-selected key service providers for the project.
Abdi, stressed the need for the state government to expedite the release of its counterpart funding for the project, to enable certain activities start in earnest. He commended the Project Management Unit, for speeding up preparation of the project documents and planning of activities.
In his remarks, Ganduje, said the project idea was conceived, “to transform challenges inherent in pastoralism and agriculture in the state to opportunities for economic growth and enhancement.”
“We intend to transform the practice of herdsmen from a socio – cultural livelihood to a modern socio – economic venture. We want to prevent the movement of people and cattle to other parts of the country on foot because of the security implications”, he stressed.
