APPEALS is a World Bank project in Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Lagos, Enugu and Cross River states that targets to empower 300,000 youth, women and people living with disabilities. ABDULRAHEEM AODU writes that the four-year programme equally aims to promote food security, agric export and improve livelihood.
Diversifying Nigerian economy to agriculture.
One of the mantras of the Buhari administration since inception has been diversification of the economy from a mono economy hinged on oil to a multi economy by exploring other areas with agriculture being the most attractive and viable option. Diversifying the economy into agriculture would not only improve food security, but also increase exports and foreign exchange earnings, create raw materials for industries and create massive direct and indirect jobs for the teeming youths and women across the country. With massive arable lands across Nigeria, government faces an uphill task in fully utilising the available resources by developing the agriculture sector for maximum yield, hence the need for support from the private sector including international organisations, which is where APPEALS Project comes handy.
Boosting 11 value chains in 6 states with $200m.
Agro processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS), is a project developed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in collaboration with the World Bank with over $200 million to cover six states in four years. The six participating states include Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Cross River, Kogi and Enugu, with focus on agricultural crops and animal husbandry such as dairy, ginger, tomato, cassava, rice, cocoa, cashew, wheat, poultry, aquaculture, and maize value chains. The project is in line with the agricultural promotion policy of the government ‘Green Alternative’ that focuses on food security, local production, jobs creation and economic diversification.
300,000 Nigerian youth, women, PLWD to benefit
The APPEALS Project targets 300,000 beneficiaries in the six states in its quest to ensure food security, boost agricultural exports and improve livelihood of Nigerians, according to the Kaduna State APPEALS project coordinator, Dr Yahaya Aminu.He said, “10,000 direct beneficiaries are to emerge from Kaduna state and each of the five other participating states, while 50,000 indirect beneficiaries would also emerge from each of the six states. Altogether, 300,000 beneficiaries would emerge in all the APPEALS states for the direct and indirect beneficiaries.”Already,1,700 beneficiaries have been selected in Kaduna state. We also hope to reach 8,300 other farmers, who would be supported with trainings and grants from the World Bank.”
APPEALS mobilises 25,000 farmers, 2,000 cooperative societies
He said that, “We have mobilised over 25,000 farmers that have registered and indicated interest who would belong to 2,000 cooperatives and farmer cooperatives. We aim at supporting 1,700 women, youth and people with disability. “We screened and verified applications and interviewed 3,000 shortlisted under the scheme. We have selected 1,700 beneficiaries, including applicants who have selected at least 10 different value chains. 60 percent are female, 35 percent male and 5 percent for people with disabilities and special needs.”
Institutes to train beneficiaries in 10 batches
Aminu explained that the APPEALS National Coordinating Office in collaboration with the Kaduna state office has selected and accredited eight training institutions for the training of the successful candidates.The institutions include Bayero University Kano, National Animal Production and Research Institute (NAPRI), Shongai Agriculture Initiative, Kano State University of Science and Technology and Aquatic Hub Afrique Abeokuta, among others.
“We intend to train the successful candidates in 10 batches by giving them technical skills in agriculture, business and personal skills, after which the World Bank would provide grants to the maximum of $10,000 each to establish them,” he said.The training has since commenced with early batches of beneficiaries churned out from the various institutions with required skills for their empowerment scheme.
Training covers theory, practical, agripreneur
According to one of the resource persons, the director, Centre for Dry Land Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano, Prof Amina Mustapha, the trainings are in three categories: classroom teaching, basic theory and practicals.
“The APPEALS project is good for the youth as it would boost their employment opportunities and create wealth among as many of them that are without jobs. We are training APPEALS beneficiaries from Kano, Kaduna and Kogi states. We have trained the first batch, we are doing the second batch. “We trained them in classroom teaching, basic theory in rice, aquatic and poultry production. We do practical training in our farms, pond and hatchery and rice mills. “We have taken them to large, medium and small scale rice mills to enable them see established enterprise of the value chain. Our hope is that any of them with good business plan would be given grants up to $10, 000 to boost their agriculture entrepreneurship.”
Beneficiaries in delight, upbeat of good business plan
The beneficiaries are all delighted for the opportunities given to them to become self employed as they work towards achieving their dream of becoming big time farmers.
Martha Nkom from Kaura LGA of Kaduna State was a rice farmer and provision store owner before applying to APPEALS. “I’m a rice farmer. They trained me on how to farm rice using better methods. I will use the grant given to me to develop my rice farm and employ those that would help me in rice production.”Awesu Abdullahi Ibrahim from Zaria LGA sees the project as a path to youth empowerment and food security in the state. “It is a privilege for us to be here for the APPEALS training. We were trained on rice production, processing and marketing. It has helped us a lot. This is one of the objectives of youth development.”For Hajiya Salamatu Isiaku Umar, a widow, the project would have huge impact on agriculture development in Nigeria. “The APPEALS programme would reduce hunger, since there are seven different value chains: fish, ginger, rice, dairy, poultry, tomato and maize. Whatever we produce, we would bring home some for the family.
“The project would boost food security. I’m a fish farmer but I apply for poultry production so that I can have knowledge on it. We want the project to be scaled up for others to Also benefit. I urge our men not to use the grant to marry more wives and our women should not use the grant to buy house furniture but to use the grant for the purpose it was meant.” Ambi Solomon from Sanga LGA applied for dairy production because of his passion for animal rearing. He believes the APPEALS project would boost food production and agriculture development.Ereje Awu is a poultry farmer from Kagarko LGA. He speaks on his experience in the training, “This project would change my life. I used to rear less than 500 fowls, now I can improve it to 1,000 and even 2,000. This project would help me to expand my poultry and improve on it. I appreciate the effort of Nigerian government to eradicate poverty.” The APPEALS project terminates in September 2023.
