The Kaduna state government has expressed support for the Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Likelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project’s programs for women and youth, noting that women and youth empowerment is dear to the state.
APPEALS is a Works Bank sponsored agric project in five states of Lagos, Kaduna, Kogi, Cross Rivers and Kano states, aimed at empowering less privilege in the society with emphasis on women and youth by training and engaging them in improved agricultural practices.
The deputy governor of Kaduna state, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, disclosed this on Thursday, while declaring open APPEALS’ inception meeting of the Technical Assistance for the Preparation and Review of Business Investment Plan (BIP) for Women and Youth Empowerment Programme (WYEP) beneficiaries in Kaduna state.
The Deputy Governor, who was represented by Barrister James Wuyep, said, “the Women, Youth Empowerment Program (WYEP), is dear to the Kaduna state government. We would like to see it make progress to the benefit of the citizens and in line with our objectives.”
Addressing the meeting on the Review of Progress Report on Implementation of WYEP in Kaduna state, APPEALS Women and Youth Livelihood Specialist, Ibrahim Yakubu said that the Project’s Women and Youth Empowerment Programme (WYEP) component has registered 484 business names with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Ibrahim said that WYEP is a sub component of the APPEALS Project which 1,700 are expected to benefit, adding that 50 percent of the beneficiaries under the component are females. He explained that the value chain under this component includes dairy, maize, rice, wheat, cashew, ginger and others. The objectives according to him, include attracting more people to farming.
According to the specialist, the selection process of beneficiaries started with sensitization in the 23 LGAs in the state in 2019. He said they issued free forms to applicants and engaged in biometric capture of over 3,000 shortlisted applicants before verification, screening and selection of 1,700 beneficiaries through a very transparent process.
Ibrahim said engagement letters were issued to successful 1,700 beneficiaries in December 2019. He stated that the beneficiaries were trained at three different centres, while those yet to be trained due to the outbreak of COVID-19 will get their training in November this year.
He said the BIP preparation and review cuts across the three zones in the state, Zaria, Kafanchan and Kaduna.
