The Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS), Kogi state chapter, has facilitated the distribution of haulage facilities to marketing groups to ease the transportation of farm produce across the state.
The Kogi state deputy governor and chairman of the state steering committee of the APPEALS project in the state, Chief Edward Onoja, at the handing over ceremony of the facilities, commended the APPEALS project for transforming the agricultural sector of the state.
APPEALS distributed 39 haulage facilities containing 11 trucks, 6 boxer buses, and 22 tricycles to beneficiaries in the marketing segment under the value chains of rice, cashew, and cassava, among other support such as rice de stoners, generators, weighing scales, bag sealing machines, and cashew cutters.
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The beneficiaries were drawn from the 87 marketing groups that were qualified through the series of identification processes as spelt out by the project. They are expected to jointly utilize the facilities for the benefit of all group members.
The State Project Coordinator, Dr Sanni Ozomata, disclosed that having facilitated support for those in production and processing, it was the turn of the food marketers in the state to be supported to add value to the state’s food supply chain.
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The Commercialization and Business Development Officer, for the APPEALS project in the state, Mr. Alexander Atama, explained that a major challenge facing the food industry is the transportation of farm produce to markets for sale, and that with the provision of these haulage facilities, the problem will now be in the past.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner of Agriculture, David Apeh, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Kogi State, Mr. Sanni Abdulganiyu, advised the beneficiaries to make proper use of the facilities to bring about the desired result.
