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Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, over the weekend, awarded contracts valued at over N6.036bn for projects across several local government areas of the state.
Among the projects were those for the development of 1,006 hectares of irrigation structures (at sectors 9-14) at Watari Irrigation Scheme, Bagwai Local Government Area and the construction of 40 milk collection centers at different locations, spreading across 15 local government areas of the state.
The Watari infrastructure projects will cost the sum of N4.539bn, while the 40 milk collection centers will be constructed at the total cost of N1. 496bn.
Funding for the interventions will be provided by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, LLF, as part of a broad vision to enhance agricultural productivity, ensure food and nutrition security, as well as improve income generation for small-holder farmers and herdsmen.
The projects, awarded to eight separate indigenous contractors, will take off in September, 2022, and be completed by September-December, 2023.
The Project Communication Specialist, Ameen K. Yassar, in a press statement, said the investment was meant to impact thousands of farmers and pastoralists, thus revitalising the economy of Kano.
Speaking shortly after signing the contracts, coordinated by the Kano State Ministry of Justice, the State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, said the occasion was a significant step towards revamping agriculture in the state.
“These interventions, which will soon be followed by other activities, will surely bring about change in the agricultural fortunes of Kano and will lift a significant number of our people out of poverty.”
He, therefore, urged the contractors to see the projects as service to humanity, stressing that they were expected to abide by all the contractual guidelines in order to deliver value for money.
Also commenting, the Managing Director, Kano State Rural Development Authority, KNARDA, an executing agency of KSADP, Dr. Junaidu Yakubu Muhammad, who warned the contractors that a strong monitoring mechanism had been put in place to supervise their work, stressed that any one of them found wanting would be sanctioned according to the stipulated regulations.
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