World Bank/FGN initiative on businnes oriented agriculture succeeding – SHEHU

World Bank/Federal Government of Nigeria mission to Kogi State on FADAMA 111 (AF) has been described as the initiative to effect a paradigm shift from subsistence to business oriented agriculture  is yielding results.

Salau Shehu, the leader of the team disclosed this at lre-Suare production cluster (Cassava special intervention site) in Adavi local government area of the state, stating that project implementation support was to ensure implementation tallies with the work plan.

Speaking at the end of a three day visit to project sites across the state the team leader expressed satisfaction with the implemetation of the World Bank Support Project with special focus on cassava production.

He also the objective was to use the market to drive the value chain in effecting the expected paradigm shift from subsistence to market oriented farming  with farmers approaching agriculture from a business perspective .

‘So far, i think we are very pleased with what we are seeing on the ground. We see a lot of potentials to actually move farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture. The farmers we have visited are doing a lot about marketing .

By the time a farmer is market -oriented you will know that farmers is moving towards being a commercial farmer. So we are pleased with what we have seen on the ground’.

Shehu also hinted that as part of the effect to ensure timely up take of the produce, the World Bank, Federal and State governmenst were partnering with Union Dicon to set up a processing plant in the state within the next 18months.

However, Shehu charged farmers to always keep records of their activities pointing out that ‘it is only when you do that you will know whether you are actually making profit or not. If you don’t keep records you will only have information about the income without the cost.

Tayo Adewumi, the national Project Coordinator represented by Gbenga Arokoyo also of FADAMA 111 (AF) urged the beneficiaries to strive to ensure the success of the project as it was meant to enhance their income.

He stated that for every one naira contributed by the Nigerian

government, the World Bank was giving $2(two dollar) adding that there was need for sustained commitment as support would not last forever.

Businessday reports that the implementation support mission team visited the agricultural equipment Hiring Enterprise at Apa-Bunu, Odo-Ape, Ogale, Ire-Suare  and Ojapata production clusters, road construction and land clearing sites.

The community leaders, women groups and cluster chairmen of various farming communities expressed their appreciation to the World Bank for the assistance to the farmers and garri processing groups as well as provision of federal roads and portable water.

Victoria Nnakiaike