Food security: Kwara partners IsDB to establish agro-industrial processing zone

Agriculture

Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara says the State Government is partnering the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to boost agriculture.

AbdulRazaq said the collaboration would establish an agro-industrial processing zone that would spur other states to improve and diversify agricultural production.

He disclosed this in Ilorin on Tuesday while speaking at the first supervision mission of the IsDB to Kwara for the commencement of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) Project.

AbdulRazaq, represented by the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Abdullateef Alakawa, expressed the government’s devotion to revolutionise agriculture, to tackle poverty through the expansion of food production, capacity and efficiency.

The governor said his administration had signed Legal Opinion and Subsidiary Loan Agreement with IsDB for the commencement of the special agro-industrial hub on livestock, with special interest in “dairy production and processing” in the state.

He said that the project would be fully funded by the development bank and the state government.

AbdulRazaq, who further said that the SAPZ project had been declared disbursement-effective, enumerated the numerous advantages it would offer the state.

“The hub will go a long way in reducing the imports of dairy products by improving milk production, milk wastages and contamination.

“It will also improve dairy breeds, production methods, transform the overall milk value chain, the economies and livelihood of livestock farmers as well as people of Kwara state,” he said.

The governor said that as the state began a synergy with IsDB and other stakeholders to transform rural economies into viable and sustainable commercial cities, the Special Agro-Processing and Commercialisation Hub was expected to turn around things for farmers and the people.

The IsDB Operation Team Leader, Mr Javed Khan, commended the effort of the government in ensuring that the project reached the commencement stage.

Khan described the agro-industrial processing hub as a great achievement and unique model in the history of the country.

He said that the signing of the subsidiary loan agreement with IsDB was indicative of the commitment and readiness of the state government to implement the project.

Khan commended the state government for recommending qualified hands to handle the project, pointing out that its implementation will span between four and five years.

Also, the State Coordinator, Kwara-SAPZ, Dr Busari Isiaka, said that the six broad components of the projects include infrastructure development and agro-industrial hub management; agricultural productivity and production; consultancy services; project coordination and management; financial audit; and contigency emergency response component.

Isiaka said that the government had set up necessary machineries to start the SAPZ project to deliver efficiently, adding that Kwara is taking a lead among the participating states in the country.

He said that the inspection team used the occasion to review the project components and activities, procurement and disbursement procedures.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team took members of the project implementation unit through a session on review of the project components and activities, procurement and disbursement procedures.

(NAN)