Stories by John Oba
Abuja
The west Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme ( WAAPP ) is said to have been able to train about 1,000 scientists within the 13 member countries of the ECOWAS sub- region from inception.
Acting Executive Director CORAF/WECARD, Dr Paco Serene disclosed this during the on-going second WRAP-UP meeting of the support mission held in Dakar, Senegal.
According to Dr Serene WAAPP has been very successful having been the first of its kind conceived by any region which has also brought about hundred and sixty new technologies and currently shared within and among countries of the sub-region.
He added that the programme has also foster integration within the sub-region, making it possible for farmers to market their seeds and other value added products to any part of the sub-region.
On his part, Practice Manager, Agricultural Global Practice, Africa Region World Bank Group, Dr Simeon Ehui, commended the giant step embarked upon by CORAF /WECARD through the bold initiative of WAAPP and witnessed in the various success stories of various member countries, while challenging them on the need to begin to look inwards for its sustainability.
He reiterated the need for aggressive communication strategy in other to achieve the desired targets, which according to him is a sure means of enlightening the public alongside policy makers to support and embrace the programme at national and sub-regional levels.
There were contributions from the representative of Minister of Agriculture of Senegal, Lamine Lò and Deputy Minister of Liberia, for Regional Development, Research and Extension Ministry of Agriculture Thomas Gbokie who challenged participants on how agriculture could make a turnaround within the sub-region thereby becoming a portent tool to be use to end poverty and address the challenges of unemployment within the ECOWAS sub- region.
