5,400 Bauchi Farmers to Benefits From AU Agric.
By Abdullahi idris,Bauchi
About 5,400 small scale farmers in Bauchi State are expected to benefit from the African Union Development Agency’s agriculture programme under the New Partnership for African Development (AUDA-NEPAD).
Bauchi State coordinator of AUDA-NEPAD and focal person, Dr Esther Ahmed announced this while giving an outline of the programme to the newly appointed local government desk officers of the intervention in her office.
She said that the AUDA-NEPAD programme is an agricultural and agro-allied intervention aimed at strengthening small holder farmers capabilities, accelerating productive land restoration and combating desertification.
She said the AUDA-NEPAD programme is specifically designed to respond to the medium and long-term effects of Covid-19 pandemic on the socioeconomic activities in Bauchi State.
“The programme will focus on some selected activities that will be implemented on strong agricultural footing towards sustainable development.”
The activities will include drip irrigation farming and other irrigation facilities, green house construction and livestock production/husbandry farming, which will be targeted at women and people living with disability (PLWD).
“Other focus areas of the programme are tailored around agricultural equipment and infrastructure, post-harvest storage and processing, capacity building of beneficiaries and other stakeholders”, said the state coordinator.
Dr Esther Ahmed, who also doubles as the state director-general of the Sustainable Development Goals office, informed the LG desk officers that the state governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed is committed to the AUDA- NEPAD programme, stressing that, “His Excellency has graciously commit to match the counterpart funding in an effort to fast track the implementation of the programme.”
The coordinator then urged the newly appointed LG desk officers of AUDA-NEPAD programme to support the state in ensuring successful implementation of the programme that will enhance the economic status of the less privileged and vulnerable target groups in their localities.
