IFAD Donates Motorcycles, Bus To Boost Agriculture In Kebbi

The International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD) has distributed 100 Motorcycles and 18-Seater-Bus to the Kebbi Government, to facilitate Community-Based Agricultural Rural Development (CBARD) in the state.

Alhaji Lawal Idah, the National Programme Coordinator of Climate Change Adaptation and Agribusiness Support Programme (CASP), presented the vehicles to the Kebbi Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu in Birnin Kebbi on Friday on behalf of the fund.

“CASP is built on the success recorded in the previous Community Based Agricultural Rural Development Programme (CBARDP) which used community development associations as the primary entry for implementation,” he said.

According to him, the programme is also being implemented in six other states: Borno,Sokoto, Yobe, Jigawa,Zamfara and Katsina.

He said about 104 local government areas with 727 village areas would benefit from the programme.

“It promotes agricultural productivity enhancement and agriculture as principal drivers, while integrating climate change resilience adaptation measures.’’

Idah said the donations also served as logistic supports to facilitate easy movement of staff in the 14 selected local government areas of the state.

“In Kebbi, we have expanded the programme from nine local government areas to 14, and in each of the local government areas there are eight participating areas.”

The coordinator also said that the annual log plan of the fund had been approved by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

He said that fund would be released to the community associations’ accounts for immediate implementation of community activities.

Idah commended the Kebbi Government’s effort in the immediate payment of 2016 counterpart funding, saying that state was the first to pay its counterpart funding.

“The payment has graciously enhanced the take-off of the activities in the state.”

In his remarks, Bagudu, commended the fund for the donations and expressed the hope that they would go a long way in facilitating the objectives of IFAD.

He urged a sustainable communication between the state and the fund, especially in the selection of the beneficiaries.

“Without proper and sustainable communication, the beneficiaries in the villages will always be the same set of persons, we want the benefit to spread to significant number of persons,” he said.

He suggested that equipment found difficult for farmers to handle be channelled to College of Education, Zuru for onward training of farmers on their usage.

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