James Emejo
27 December 2011
The Federal Government is to partner the World Bank and Japanese government to enhance the productivity and market linkage of Fadama farmers through a new project on information and knowledge services.
The World Bank and Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) would provide a new grant of $2.743 million which would be implemented over a period of four years from January 2012 to December 2015.
World Bank Country Director, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, said during the formal launch of the project in Abuja that the project aimed to improve agricultural potential through the use of mobile-based agricultural advisory services.
It would be piloted in four states, including Cross River, Sokoto, Lagos and Yobe. She said: “Better access to information through improved information technology is expected to reduce marketing and transportation cost, encourage farmers to take informed risks and participate in markets. This is in line with the drastic change in information technology taking place across African markets.”
Also speaking on the partnership, Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji, said: “I am encouraged by the announcement of new policies on agriculture by the Minister to revitalize and transform this crucial sector and I am looking forward to hearing good news on the project as it gets implemented in the next four years.”
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Bukar Tijani, has commended the Fadama III team for impacting on the lives of the rural and poor communities through the Fadama project which according to him, has been successful.
He said: “We have a mandate from His Excellency, President Jonathan to ensure Nigeria stops the importation of rice in four years and to start exporting this important staple by 2018. I am confident that this new initiative for farmers would contribute to our achieving this goal.” The Fadama Information and Knowledge Services (FIKS) project is targeted at increasing productivity and rural household incomes in the poorest section of the Fadama community in the selected states.
It also aims to develop virtual agriculture and veterinary advisory services by linking Fadama farmers to experts through the provision of on line real time solutions to their problems among other things.
AllAfrica – All the Time