By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, has budgeted N10, 934, 005, 270 for the 2022 fiscal year, the State Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad has announced.
According to a statement signed by the Project Communication Specialist, Ameen K. Yassar, dated January 24, 2022, the financial plan was approved late Monday evening, during a meeting of the project’s Steering Committee, chaired by the State Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.
According to the Project Coordinator, the lion share of about nine percent of the total money was budgeted for crops and legumes value chain interventions, for small holder farmers across the state, to be conducted with technical cooperation of Sasakawa Africa and KNARDA.
Although he did not give specific details of the budget, he mentioned that “a substantial amount was set aside for development of 1, 000 hectares of land at Watari Irrigation project, expected to impact at least 4, 000 farmers”.
Malam Ibrahim announced that the budget entails a Cattle and small ruminants fattening schemes with 50 percent matching grants. This is in addition to a small ruminants breeding scheme.
“We are embarking upon these schemes to strengthen the role of livestock in rural livelihood improvement, economic development and especially because they are the main source of meat”.
On Dansoshiya Grazing Reserve, he stated that several physical works were scheduled for execution in the settlement this year, highlighting that the projects include infrastructure and grazing land development.
According to Malam Ibrahim, construction of feeder roads in some parts of the state, Dawanau market infrastructure and establishment of 40 milk collection centers are among the project’s priorities for the year, likewise commercial large scale fodder production, small holder fodder production and improvement of crop residue utilization.
He thanked the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Funds, for timely release of funds for project execution, stressing that their commitment has encouraged the Project Management Unit of the KSADP to strive for success.
The Project Coordinator expressed appreciation to the Steering Committee members as well as the managements of KNARDA, the project’s executing agency, for their cooperation at all times.
