AfDB Approves $174.85m For Agric Agenda

The Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has said the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $174.85 million for Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program (ATASP-1) in Nigeria.
Adesina made this known in Abuja at the inauguration of the ATASP-1 organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture.
The ATA is a flagship programme of the Federal Government which is driven by a technology known as Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.
The GES scheme allows registered farmers to have access to subsidised farm inputs like seeds, fertiliser and agro-chemicals via mobile phone known as e-wallet.
The scheme is being expanded to include access to loans, insurance, heavy farm machinery like tractors and extension services.
The minister explained that the ATASP-1 would add an additional 20,000 tonnes of key commodity crops per year and create 200,000 new jobs for the youth.
“I am very pleased that the AfDB had approved the sum of $ US 174.85 million toward the financing of the Agricultural Transformation Support Program (ATASP-1).
“This project will support the costs of infrastructure and value chain development and programme management for four Staple Crop Processing Zones to be located in Adani-Omor, Bidda-Badeggi, Kano-Jigawa and Kebbi-Sokoto.
“The programme will be implemented in Enugu, Anambra, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano and Jigawa states; the programme will add an additional 20,000 tonnes of key commodity crops per year and create 200,000 new jobs for the youth,’’ he said.
Adesina said to encourage the youth, President Jonathan launched the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) with the aim of developing a new generation of 750,000 young commercial farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs over the next five years.
He said the support of the AfDB would help toward achieving that objective.
Adesina said under the ATASP-1, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
He clarified that under the MoU, IITA would develop outreach programmes for capacity building of the youth across agricultural value chains, for cassava, rice and sorghum.
The minister said under the agreement, three Youths Training Centres would be established by IITA at Mijinbir, Kubwa and Onne.
He explained that the centre at Mijinbir would train youths from Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi and Sokoto states while the centre in Kubwa would train youths from Niger.
He also said the centre at Onne would train youths from Anambra and Enugu States.
The minister thanked the president, board of governors and the hard-working and excellent staff of the AfDB for their confidence in the reforms of the agriculture sector of Nigeria.