Kano State AgroPastoral Development Project, KSADP, has awarded contract for design and supervision consultancy services for the establishment and management of 200 milk collection centers across the state. The contract was awarded to Messrs Teamwork Global Associates, an indigenous company.

In the same vein, the project signed a contract for design and supervision consultancy services for the construction of a Veterinary Reference Laboratory at Kundila, Tarauni local government area. This was awarded to Kul-Dwell Consultants Ltd.

The contracts will cover many tasks ranging from advisory services for staffing of contractors, training, development and production of land maps and layout for various proposed infrastructure, among others.

The consultants will also provide implementation and supervisory services to ensure execution of the projects in accordance with the terms and conditions agreed upon, manage expenditure control and provide certification of materials etc.

Speaking shortly after signing the contracts, the State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Ibrahim Garba Muhammad said: “Basically, this project intends to introduce new dynamics in local milk and milks products production in this part of the world. For instance, the present milking and milk products marketing process in Kano is not hygienic and devoid of basic technology”.

As a result, “KSADP plans to construct milk collection centers with modern facilities, providing cold chain, which will lead to increase in demand for dairy products, increase in milk prices and importantly, address issues of milk quality and hygiene”, he emphasized.

The Project Coordinator said the Veterinary Reference Laboratory was one of the several initiatives of the project aimed at promoting animal health, ensuring safe animal derived food and generally securing public health.

KSADP, is a pet project of the Islamic Development Bank, Lives and Funds, LLF, and the government of Kano state, whose primary objective is to contribute to reducing poverty and strengthening food and nutrition security in the state by developing agro-pastoral production systems.

Ameen K. Yassar

Communication Specialist, KSADP,

26^th May, 2021

Kano state government, through its planned 200 Milk Collection Centers, MCCs, has the potential to add at least 50, 000 liters daily, to Nigeria’s dairy requirement.

The State Project Coordinator, Kano Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, announced this during a meeting with Livestock stakeholders in Kano, on Thursday evening, regarding identification of sites for the project, to be executed by his agency.

He explained that based on available statistics, each of the MCCs would pool at least 250 liters each day, adding that the quantity would increase significantly, when his project’s proposed artificial insemination scheme takes off soon.

“This will further be reinforced by our intended intervention in small and large scale fodder production schemes, which will provide more pasture for the cattle, which will lead to increased dairy production”.

“In this regard, we have awarded consultancy for the design and supervision of the MCCs. The aim is to assist in improving nutrition through consumption of milk and to curtail huge economic loss due to milk spoilage”.

“If you bring the MCCs closer to communities, the Fulani milk maids will not need to transport the milk over long distances, with the attendant risks, to sell their products. That is why we are looking for appropriate sites to build the centers”.

Alhaji Ibrahim remarked that each MCC would include cooling facilities, testing kits, a tank and a fodder bank among other things, stressing that the centers would be managed by a committee involving relevant stakeholders in the communities, for sustainability.

Impressed by the justification for the construction of the MCCs, the state branch chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Alhaji Husaini Umar, donated his farm at ‘Yan Rutu, Dawakin Tofa local government for free, for one of the centers to be constructed.

Meanwhile, participants at the meeting have identified about 287 locations across the 44 local government areas of Kano, for possible construction of the Milk Collection Centers.

The stakeholders, however, recommended that communities should collaborate with local and state authorities, to provide safe locations for the projects, in view of security challenges in some parts of the country.

They promised to put heads together to ensure that the projects not only see the light of the day but are also sustained beyond the lifespan of the Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

17^th June, 2021

Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project has signed a contract worth N314. 45 million, for the renovation of Watari Dam in Bagwai local government area of the state.

The contract, which was awarded to Hajaig Construction Nigeria Ltd., has a completion period of 90 days.

The work consists of desilting of the dam’s main canal, clearing of drainage, desilting of Night Storage Reservoir and repair of the dam embankment.

Others are replacement of concrete linen on main canal, provision of culverts, desilting of night storage reservoir and other civil works.

Shortly After signing the contract documents, the State Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, stated that project will contribute to the sustainable development of Kano state through environmental impact, social effect as well as deep economic outcomes.

“This project will prevent flooding, improve farming activities, create more employment opportunities and facilitate development of small scale agro allied industries”, he emphasized.

“In addition, 1000 hectares of land downstream will be developed, using gravity for irrigation for about 4,000 new farmers for rice, wheat and vegetable production. So you can imagine the huge impact of this project on food security in the state”.

The Project Coordinator therefore, charged the contractor to justify the confidence reposed in them by doing high quality work and completing it on time.

The Managing Director of Hajaig Construction Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Abbas Hajaig, promised to adhere to the contractual agreement in executing the job.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

27^th January, 2021

Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, will conduct a livestock census in Kano State, with a view to obtaining reliable, updated information on livestock numbers, products and production system.

“The livestock survey is very important because it will provide the much needed data for the formulation and implementation of the livestock productivity enhancement component of our project”.

The State Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad announced this while receiving the National Project Coordinator, Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Mrs. Winnie Lai-Solarin, in his office.

In this regard, Malam Ibrahim explained that the project would seek the support of the Dakar-based financial and management consulting firm, Africa Consulting and Trading (ACT Afrique Group), to conduct a thorough job.

“Livestock plays a very important role in agriculture in this part of the country but, unfortunately, the data we have on livestock is obsolete and unreliable. Therefore, we need accurate information and statistics to guide us on the design and implementation of our livestock productivity and enhancement initiatives”, he stressed.

Among other things, the Project Coordinator explained that the KSADP would invest to a large extent in grazing reserve development, diary production, commercial and small scale fodder production, cattle insemination, annual vaccination and beef development.

According to Malam Ibrahim, the project, through multiple interventions, will support the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in the implementation of its RUGA initiative, especially now that pastoralists are returning to the North, arising from unpleasant developments in some parts of the country where they previously resided.

Earlier, the National Project Coordinator, Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Mrs. Winnie Lai-Solarin, said she was in Kano to discuss with the KSADP Project Management Unit, on how her office and the KSADP can collaborate in the areas of pasture development, artificial insemination, milk collection and training of pastoralists.

She suggested the creation of an innovation platform to facilitate synergy between projects concerned with livestock development, pointing out that doing so would ensure project sustainability and avoidance of duplicity as well as wastage of resources.

Mrs.  Lai-Solarin further advised the KSADP Project Management Unit to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to achieve the desired results and praised Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for ensuring a strong management team that had demonstrated resolve towards achieving the project’s objectives.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

22^nd February, 2021

Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, in conjunction with the Kano state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, have launched a massive cattle and small ruminants vaccination campaign across the 44 local government areas of the state.

The objective is to protect the animals from highly contagious and deadly diseases, improve the animals’ overall quality of life, prevent economic loss and promote human health.

It is expected that over a period of two weeks, over eight hundred thousand cattle and one million small ruminants would be vaccinated against Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, CBPP, and Peste des Petits Ruminants, PPR.

Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, CBPP, is a bacterial disease that affects the lungs of cattle while Peste des Petits Ruminants, PPR is also a highly infectious animal disease affecting domestic and wild small ruminants.

“Our project is also going to construct a Vet Reference Laboratory to facilitate early diagnosis and detection of animal diseases. Keeping animals alive and healthy is an important factor in ensuring food security which is one of our cardinal objectives”.

Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, is funded by the Islamic Development Bank, Lives and Livelihood Funds, LLF and the government of Kano state.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

19^th March, 2021

Kano state Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, has awarded contract worth N83, 493, 176, for supply of 8,250 vials of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, CBPP, vaccines and 20, 000 vials of Peste des Petits Ruminants, PPR vaccines.

Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, CBPP, is a contagious bacterial disease that affects the lungs of cattle while Peste des Petits Ruminants, PPR is also a highly infectious animal disease affecting domestic and wild small ruminants.

The vaccine contract, which was awarded to IBM Investment Ltd., also covers the supply of 70 packs of various inputs and training of inoculators.

Vaccination plays a pivotal role in optimizing the animals’ capacity to resist disease, maintain welfare and productivity of both large and small ruminants.

Yet, the animal vaccination has not been conducted in Kano, in the past three years due to some reasons, as a result of which many pastoral communities in the state suffered huge loss of animals.

The State Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammded who signed the contract on behalf of his agency explained that the move was to prevent thousands of pastoral families in Nigeria’s most populous, from losing their livelihoods, food security and employment opportunities.

“We are going to work with the state Ministry of Agriculture to kick start an annual vaccination programme in Kano, because it is evident that deadly cattle and small ruminants’ diseases affect the already vulnerable rural communities by decimating their income, decreasing employment opportunities, and forcing them to migrate in the face of very high risk”.

Malam Ibrahim stated that the statewide vaccination programme, which would commence in the next few weeks, is expected to over eight hundred thousand cattle and one million small ruminants per annum, adding that the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, would personally oversee the flag-off of the exercise.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

16^th February, 2021

The Islamic Development Bank, IsDB, in conjunction with the Lives and Livelihood Fund, LLF has released about N74 million Naira, for purchase of vaccines and other consumables for Mass Livestock Vaccination Campaign in Kano state.

The fund was apportioned through the Islamic Solidarity Fund ISFD, the poverty alleviation arm of the Islamic Development Bank Group, to the Kano Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, for the vaccination of cattle, sheep and goats against major diseases challenging their productivity and health.

Livestock health and productivity are serious concerns in not only Kano but the whole of Nigeria. An indication of this problem is that the country imports 60 percent of its milk requirement, implying that local production cannot meet up with demand.

At the moment, Nigeria’s milk and dairy products importation stands at about 1. 5 billion USD, which is presumably as result of the prolonged neglect of the livestock sector by successive governments.

Flagging off the vaccination at Dansoshiya Grazing Reserve, Kiru local government, the governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said: “I must emphasize that besides playing a major role in protecting animal health and reducing their suffering, this vaccination is an issue of serious public health concern because it prevents animal to human transmission of diseases and enables efficient production of Halal animal-derived food products to feed our growing population”.

According to him, “we must remain committed to securing the health of our animals because research has shown that milk and meat provide a vital source of nutrition for the populace, especially vulnerable groups such as children and sick people”.

Highlighting that the livestock vaccination was free, Governor Ganduje urged herdsmen and those engaged in domestic animals reproduction and fattening in Kano, to take advantage of the exercise for the well being of their livestock.

The governor was delighted that the KSADP has concluded arrangement to award contract for the construction of a Veterinary Reference Laboratory, to perform quality and cost-effective high volume testing for improved animal health.

“Let me stress our resolve to actualize the Dansoshiya Ruga project which will greatly reduce movement of herdsmen from the North to other parts of the country. We are surveying for establishment of other similar settlements in Dudduru in Gaya Local Government, in Fanyabo in T/Wada, in Matan Fada in Kunchi, Zoza in Rogo and at Zaura Babba in Ungogo Local Governments”, he added.

Dr. Ganduje thanked the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Fund for their support towards initiating the Kano Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, which he described as a flagship project of his administration.

The State Project Coordinator, Kano Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad explained that the vaccination, which would be conducted with the active collaboration of the state Ministry of Agriculture, would last for 10 days, adding that 520 inoculators would conduct the exercise under the supervision of 25 veterinary doctors.

Head of Dansoshiya pastoralists community, Abubakar Rabo, said the vaccination was a turning point for them since such activity has not been conducted in the past few years, as a result of which many livestock were lost to illnesses, which could have been averted with vaccination.

In a goodwill message to the occasion, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, represented by Dr. Yahya Tanko described the KSADP as a noble project which was in line with the Federal Government’s Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

4^th April, 2021

Kano state Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, today (Thursday), formally ceded a 20 hectare plot at Dudduru Grazing Reserve, in Ajingi local government area, to the National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, NAPRI, for fodder seed multiplication.

It could be recalled that in September, 2020, the Project awarded contract worth N88, 049, 970 million to NAPRI, for establishment of 20 hectare seed multiplication scheme, which is expected to form the cornerstone of large-scale, commercial fodder production in the state.

The four-year contract covers establishment and management of seed plots, construction of stores, security rooms, drying sheds, boreholes, installation of irrigation facilities and perimeter fencing.

Speaking during the handing over formalities, the State Project Coordinator, Kano state Agro Pastoral Development Project, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad explained that “activity is will pave way for production of thousands of tons of fodder, supporting thousands of livestock units and many pastoral families across the state all year round”.

Fodder crops are imperative in the development of Nigeria’s livestock industry as the bulk of the animal protein especially milk and meat, consumed in the country, derive from cattle and small ruminants, which are basically dependent on these crops.

The Project Coordinator explained that the cultivated fodder seeds would also be planted at Dansoshiya forest in Kiru local government area to provide about 4, 000 hectares of pasture so as to minimize the seasonal movement of pastoral families from Kano, to other parts of the country in search of animal feed and water.

“The project will also support the those of you residing here at Dudduru, to engage in small-scale fodder production around your homesteads so that you can feed your cattle and sell to prospective livestock keepers for more income”, he added.

Malam Ibrahim, who assured the pastoralists settled in the reserve that their homesteads and stock routes would not be affected by the seed multiplication venture, stressed that their cooperation and support is vital to its success.

The Project Livestock Specialist, Dr. Garba Sale and the representative of NAPRI, Dr. Ishaku spoke extensively on the importance of the availability of animal feed within local communities, for the wellbeing of their animals and to mitigate conflict caused by seasonal migration.

The traditional leader of Fan’idau, Alhaji Aliyu Adamu Fan’idau, who led local leaders to witness the occasion, urged herdsmen in the reserve to demonstrate full ownership of the project because of its potential to create jobs and fodder for their animals.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

7^th January, 2021

Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, has awarded contract worth N314, 454, 625. 80, for the repair of Watari Irrigation Scheme.

The irrigation scheme is situated downstream of the Watari dam, in Bagwai local government area of Kano state, and has potential for cultivation of vast hectares of rice, several irrigated crops and vegetables.

Constructed over 40 years ago, the dam and its auxiliary infrastructure have not undergone repairs since then, despite its huge potential for agriculture and rural development.

During the official handing over of the project site to the contractor, Hajaig Nigeria Ltd., the State Project Coordinator, KSADP,  Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad explained that “the scope of work includes repairs of gully erosion on the dam’s embankment, repairs and desilting of main canal and drainages as well as desilting and repairs of the night storage reservoir”.

“Besides the renovation of the dam, whose embankment has been eroded and its canals blocked, our project intends to create additional 1, 000 hectares of irrigation land, meaning more people in this locality would be engaged in farming”, he added.

In this regard, Malam Ibrahim appealed to farmers and other stakeholders in the area to cooperate with the project contractor to ensure speedy completion of the work.

“I want to inform you that the KSADP is being funded and supported with grants by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, LLF, to improve crop production and enhance livestock productivity, and this project is one the main activities we are going to conduct to achieve our goals”.

In his remarks on behalf of Hajaig Nigeria Ld., Mr. Kasem Hajaig assured that heavy equipment would be mobilized to the site quickly to ensure that the work is completed within three months as contained in the contract agreement.

Speaking on behalf of the farmers, Alhaji Ali Ibrahim, who was overwhelmed with joy, promised that they would do the needful to ensure that the project is completed in good time, in view of its import to their socio-economic progress.

It is expected that Kano state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, would flag-off the renovation work in the next couple of days.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

6^th January, 2021

Kano state Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, will award contracts for consultancies on designs and supervisions of projects, worth millions of Naira in the next few days, the State Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad has announced.

Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad made this known during the Steering Committee meeting of the project, chaired by the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna late Wednesday evening.

“Contracts for consultancies will be signed by January and will be expectedly completed by April, 2021”, he stated.

“At the completion of the designs by consultants, the project will commence massive implementation of contracts for civil works”.

The contracts to be awarded, according to the State Project Coordinator, include development of Dansoshiya Grazing Reserve, expansion of Watari Irrigation scheme, infrastructure development at Dawanau market, establishment of 200 milk collection centers and construction of Veterinary reference laboratory.

“Others are improvement of five cattle markets, upgrading of 20 slaughter houses, construction of storage warehouses for grain aggregation, provision of milk storage facilities for Kofar Wambai Fura da Nono Association and demarcation of 1, 950 km stock routes across the state”, Malam Ibrahim added.

He added that the project would embark on the construction of 70 km farm access roads, establishment of 80 fodder banks, implantation of community animal health extension programme and implementation of small and large scale commercial fodder production programmes, among other value chains interventions for farmers and pastoralists.

Malam Ibrahim maintained the project has signed an MOU and released funds to SASAKAWA Africa 2000, for the implementation of cereal crops value chain intervention, while a similar agreement has been formalized with KNARDA, for the implementation of legumes crop value chain intervention.

“Both interventions will collectively impact at least 550, 000 farmers across the 44 local government areas of Kano state and this will make a huge impact in terms of food security, poverty reduction and economic development”.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

30^th December, 2020