From Abubakar Suleiman, Lafia
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has launched the United Sister’s Multipurpose Cooperative Society, in Wamba Central Market, a Federal Government and International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), initiative aimed at reducing poverty.
He equally commissioned a solar-powered borehole located at Haske Gari Processing Centre, Gbude, also in Wamba Local Government Area.
Governor Sule confirmed that both activities, jointly funded by the Federal Government and IFAD, is aimed at ensuring food security, increasing small-scale farmer’s income, enhancing processing and marketing of rice and cassava, as well as promoting accelerated growth on sustainable basis.
He explained that the Value Chain Development Programme, is the initiative of the Federal Government, geared towards diversifying the economy as an alternative source of revenue.
“The programme is intended to focus more attention on agricultural growth with a view to transforming the sector as the mainstay of the country’s economy,” he said.
Governor Sule added: “In its determination to key into the programme, his administration, on July 1, 2020, approved the whopping sum of N176 million as counterpart funds, for the take-off and implementation of the project for the period of two years.
“Let me reiterate the resolve of the present administration to continue to align with policies of the Federal Government, in the collective commitment to provide the desired development.” He added: “That informs the decision by the state government to attract investors like Olam Nigeria Limited, Dangote Group, Azman Rice, Flour Mills Nigeria Ltd, among others.”
While appreciating the Federal Government, IFAD for choosing his state to host the event, the governor disclosed further that similar projects were completed in Lafia and Nasarawa, while those of Doma and Karu Local Government Areas are ongoing.
Earlier, Programme Coordinator in the state, Dr. Eunice Adgidzi had disclosed that the programme has completed multi million Naira projects across five local government areas, including five solar-powered boreholes, three and two market stores.
She added that two market stores, one market stall, as well as the cassava model 2 processing mill with crèche and restrooms, are ongoing. Dr. Adgidzi said a total of 2, 233 farmers from 204 farmers’ organizations, engaged in rice and cassava production, processing and marketing, were profiled and benefited from the project.
