UNDP-GEF-IAP-FS holds planning and review meeting, Beneficiaries lauds project

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Integrated Approach Programme for Food Security (IAP-FS) project on fostering sustainability and resilience for food security in the savannah zones of the northern Nigeria has held its planning and review meeting with participating states to review the project performance in the previous so far.

The meeting which held in Abuja Nigeria’s capital had the seven (7) beneficiary states of Kano, Katsina, Benue, Nasarawa, Gombe, Jigawa and Adamawa in attendance.

The project manager Mrs. Rhoda Dia who reeled out the objectives and expected outcome of the review applauded the beneficiaries urged them to do more in order to attract the needed attention to the project.

She said “the meeting is to strengthen coordination and M&E strategies, to provide a platform to reflect on achievements so far; what has worked, what hasn’t and identify best ways to address the gaps, to provide a platform for shared learning and introduce agro input companies to the project, to update project record & achieve result-oriented monitoring and reporting”

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) officers from the various beneficiaries’ states lauded the initiative and commended the efforts of the project at the planning and Review Meeting, they however appealed for timely release of funds to aid implementation in every state.

The M & E officer for Nasarawa state North Central Nigeria, Ishiaku Yusuf stated that over ten groups have benefited from the packages of small ruminant production and sprayer kits.

He said with the introduction of climate smart agricultural practices by the project, farmers were able to adopt the technology where some communities practiced dry season farming.

According to him, with the intervention of UNDP-GEF-IAP-FS programme in some communities most of the challenges they faced where addressed through provision of improved seed, insecticide and Organised training of climate smart agricultural practices across project communities.

He said in 2021 “we hope for timely release of funds to vendors to carry out their activities effectively”

The Jigawa state M&E officer Ado Ubaya while presenting the report on his state’s performance on the project disclosed that the establishment of Agric Center in Darai Doro by the project has attracted a constituency project to supply Electricity power to the community.

According to him, in 2021 the project on Agro forestry would address the issue of Idu deforestation and desert encroachment.

“We will encourage community seed production through collaboration with National Agricultural Seed Council.” He added

On her part, the Benue M&E officer Ene Oche in her presentation said that 3.6 million households was covered during the aired campaign done using radio Benue raised the level of awareness on health implication of aflatoxin contamination.

“Due to high interest generated by the training on agro forestry, farmers requested for seedlings to plant during the last raining season” she added

She noted that 735 women were empowered through beekeeping for livelihood income generation.

She however appealed that packaging of pure honey be encouraged at the community level and also encouraged seed production at the community level.