The Federal Government, in conjunction with the African Development Bank (AfDB), has implemented agricultural projects worth N17.7 billion in five local government areas of Jigawa State, to develop rural infrastructure and promote food security.
Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, representing Jigawa North East, disclosed this during the inspection of some projects that fall within his constituency in Auyo and Kafin Hausa Local Government Areas, out of five local government beneficiaries in the state.
The senator commended Jigawa governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, for his support and cooperation towards the successful conduct of the program, while explaining that the projects are under the agricultural transformation agenda support program (ATASP) of the Federal Government.
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ATASP was launched in 2013 with the goal of attracting private sector investment in agriculture, adding value to local agricultural produce, reducing post-harvest losses, developing rural infrastructure, and improving access to financial services and markets for farmers and other value-chain actors.
ATASP fits in with the two strategic pillars of the AfDB country strategy paper for Nigeria, which are: supporting the development of a sound policy by assisting the government in its liberalization of production input supply and investing in critical infrastructure to promote the development of the real sector of the economy across the agricultural value chains.
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Auwal Ado Shehu, the Zonal Programme Coordinator, ATASP Kano/Jigawa, appreciated Governor Badaru Abubakar for releasing the state’s counterpart funding and commended Senator Hassan for his efforts towards the projects.
He said the projects have reached 50 per cent completion of a 41.5-kilometre feeder road from Hadejia Jamaare, Ansaye, Galauchi, Miga, Auyo, Zabarau, Gudito to Maskangayu for transporting food items.
The council chairman of Auyo Local Government, Alhaji Muhammad Ahmed Sani, eulogized both federal and state governments as well as the senator for securing the projects for the benefit of farmers in the area.
