AUDA-NEPAD to Empower Small Scale Farmers in Bauchi State
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA) has disclosed plans to empower 5,400 small scale farmers in Bauchi State under its New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) programme on agriculture.
According to AUDA, the initiative aims to make the beneficiaries self-reliant through employment opportunities in the agriculture sector, accelerate productive land restoration and enhance food security.
The development was disclosed by the Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the Bauchi State Governor and State Coordinator of AUDA-NEPAD, Dr Esther Ahmed Kadala while giving an overview of the programme to the newly appointed Local Government Desk Officers of the initiative in her office.
According to Kadala, the AUDA-NEPAD agricultural and agro-allied intervention programme would strengthen smallholder farmers’ capabilities, accelerate productive land restoration and combat desertification.
Furthermore, she said the intervention also seeks to promote innovative technology to reduce post-harvest losses and also boost food security amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The AUDA NEPAD program is specifically designed to respond to the medium and long term effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the socio-economic activities in Bauchi State”.
The programme will focus on some selected activities that will be implemented on a strong agricultural footing towards sustainable development.
“Other focus areas of the programme are tailored around agricultural equipment and infrastructure, post-harvest storage and processing, capacity building of beneficiaries and other stakeholders”, said the state coordinator,” she stated.
Also, Kadala noted that the State Governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has committed the counterpart funding to fast track the implementation of the AUDA NEPAD programme.
She urged the newly appointed Desk Officers to support the state in ensuring the successful implementation of the programme to enhance the economic status of the less privileged and vulnerable groups in their localities.
Agro Nigeria
