IFAD’s has been hailed for its  intervention in the area that affected lives
positively in Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

This was stated when IFAD Supervision Mission team visited
Garu village area to inspect project being implemented under the
Community-based Agricultural and Rural Development Programme (CBARDP).

The council chairman of Musawa Local Government Alhaji
Tanimu Akira said that since the inception of the programme in 2004, many of
the community members had been empowered financially, leading to an improved
economic well-being.

According to him, the programme has also facilitated the
provision of health, education, rural water supply facilities as well as
agro-processing and skill and social development centres have been provided.

Specifically, he said that the programme had facilitated the
construction of five educational facilities, eight health facilities, 20 km of
rural access road and nine rural water supply facilities, among others.

Also, the awareness and capacity component of the programme
led to the formation and strengthening of 150 garmer groups, 72 enterpise
groups, 64 vulnerable groups and 53 community development association groups,
among others.

Earlier, the team leader Dr Ben Odoemena, told the
gathering, which included beneficiaries and other members of the community,
that the objective of the mission was to assess the proress and quality of
project implementation.

He said the mission would also identify challenges as well
as success stories and innovations that could be up scaled and replicated.

During the interactive session that followed, some
beneficiaries expressed their happiness with the programme, saying that it had
improved their economic well-being.

An elderly woman, Indo Dahiru, estimated to be about 65
years, told the team that she was trained as a Traditional Birth attendant, and
had since receiving the training, handled 50 deliveries with only two
fatalities.

“I have acquired skills on how to successfully discharge the
placenta. I now use gloves and can administer paracetamol to my patients.

“From my savings, I have bought five goats and some chicken
which I am rearing and earing additional income.

Similarly, Ibrahim, a mechanic, who was trained in hand pump
repairs, said that he had trained 15 people and earned N5,000 per trainee.

“I go as far as Kano to repair hand pumps and this support
by IFAD has empowered me and I am also training other people.’’ He said.

In his remarks, Alhaji Husamatu Abubakar, the community
leader said: “We are grateful to IFAD for coming all the way from