KDSG, AGRA stimulate $100m investment in rice, maize value chain

The Kaduna State Government says it is collaborating with the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to strengthen the state’s Agricultural Policies to boost smallholder farmers’ ability in the maize and rice value chain.
Murtala Dabo, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, made this known while hosting a one-day Stakeholders’ and Media Engagement on the State’s Policy and Agricultural Systems Strengthening (PASS) project.
Dabo, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Abubakar Abba, said the project, being funded by AGRA, would guide the ministry in policies that would foster the harmonisation of initiatives for the growth of the agriculture sector into an agribusiness. That, the official added, would attract both local and foreign investment.
AGRA was founded in 2006 as an Africa-based and -led organization that works within the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP), Africa’s policy framework for agricultural transformation, wealth creation, food security and nutrition, economic growth and prosperity. AGRA has prioritized 11 countries in three agro-ecologies: Ghana, Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso. Others include: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, while Malawi and Mozambique make the rest.
According to Abba, the PASS project would consolidate the gains of the Capacity Strengthening Project for the Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture earlier funded by AGRA between 2019 and 2021.
Dabo said the previous AGRA project led to the revival of the State Committee for Agriculture, the development of the first agricultural policy, and the evolution of an inclusive and participatory planning and budgetary process.
He explained that the project also led to the establishment of a database and the flagship initiative of the sector in the state.
Dabo said, “The objective of PASS is to improve the state capability of local actors to implement evidence-based policies and strategies; implement programs, monitor them, and build resilience.
“It will establish an enabling and inclusive environment that stimulates markets for agricultural products and services that support small-holder farmers in the value chain for rice and maize.
“AGRA`s effort improved the gaps in coordination, planning, monitoring evaluation, and data collection that revived the ministry’s ability to deliver on some of its key mandates.
“This is even as the PASS project aims to improve the state capability of local actors to implement evidence-based policies and strategies.“
The commissioner noted with delight that the project would implement programmes, monitor them, build resilience, and establish an enabling and inclusive environment that would stimulate markets for agricultural products and services.
Dabo added, “The PASS project would ensure that the government drives agriculture through a business development strategy to catalyze the Ministry’s ability to respond to farmers’ needs.
“The project would be instrumental in driving sustainable growth to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the state.“
The commissioner assured that the state government would collaborate with various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to implement the project through a comprehensive and inclusive process.
He commended the stakeholders for their contributions in the previous projects.
The official urged them to continue to support the state government in providing the enabling environment to attract investors to the state.
The AGRA’s Country Programme Lead, Mrs Juliette Lampoh said that the project was initiated to further the gains of the capacity strengthening project carried out from 2019 to 2021.
Lampoh said some challenges were, however, identified during the project implementation and hoped that the PASS Project would address those challenges.
The country programme lead announced that the project would be implemented by the ministry, with technical assistance by Synergos Nigeria.
She appreciated the participants for making out time to attend the inception meeting of the Kaduna State Policy and Agricultural Systems Strengthening (PASS) Project.
In his part, the Country Director of SYNERGOS Nigeria, Mr Victor Adejor, in a presentation, said Synergos would provide the technical assistance for the project that would build the state’s capability to sustain agricultural transformation.
Adejor, represented by Muhammed Sheriff, Kaduna Manager for Synergos, said the project would strengthen inclusive coordination of agricultural transformation, food system, and market development.
This is with emphasis on increasing investment in the maize and rice value chain.
“PASS will strengthen the state’s institutional capacity to deliver on the implementation of policy toward food system transformation.
“It will also improve evidence-based monitoring and evaluation systems to inform inclusive policy development and implementation.
“The AGRA investment will strengthen sectoral coordination for policy implementation and growth performance that will benefit the entire 1.3million farming population directly and the entire 10 million people in the state.
“This initiative will integrate relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) into the public resource allocation process.
“It will also increase policy stability at state and local government levels, and foster private sector-led investment through improved institutional and systems cooperation,“ Adejor said.
The Synergos boss said the project would stimulate new investments of 100 million US dollars and resources through improved collaboration.
“It will also optimize resource allocation from government, donors, and private sectors, thereby
enhancing governance and the business environment while supporting evidence-based decision-making,“ he said.
In a message, Mr Afolabi Samson, Head of Research and Production Unit, Premier Seeds Nigeria, urged the state government to engage more seed companies in such projects for them to contribute to policy formulation and coordination.
Samson said the PASS project would give seed companies an avenue to identify policies that require strengthening for small holder farmers easy access to seeds.
He said it would also create an enabling environment for higher productivity and for businesses to thrive under the value chain.
Alhaji Abdulsalam Lamido, Project Manager, North-West Agriculture Inputs Dealers Association (NOWAIDA), appealed to the state government to collaborate with the association for easy access to inputs.
He said that the collaboration would enable the farmers to achieve better yields in the rice and maize value chain.
He commended the government and AGRA for initiating the project and urged for more effort in monitoring and evaluation for better outcomes
Prof. Yusuf Sani, an Executive Director at the National Agriculture Extension and Research Liaison Scheme (NAERLS), A.B.U, Zaria commended the government for the initiative and pledged the agency’s support.
Also, Ms Comfort Ojo, National Youth Task Team Focal person in Kaduna, urged the state government to provide funding windows for the youth and women to engage in the Agriculture sector.
She decried that the inability of youth and women farmers in the state to access soft loans had limited their productivity and products’ marketing.
“That has contributed to the already saturated labour market in different parts of the country,” Ojo explained.