Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, has warned its prospective contractors that none would be allowed to contravene the project’s procurement guidelines.

“Our project is an Islamic Development Bank funded project and its procurement guidelines are clearly defined. So, we will not allow any contractor or service provider to connive with project beneficiaries to manipulate the rules and procedures in anyone’s favor”.

The State Project Coordinator, Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad handed the warning during the opening of bids for the procurement of Livestock, Feed and Drugs for the project’s Fattening and Reproduction schemes, in Kano.

He stated that it is important to harp on the issue of procurement specifically because the Livestock scheme, targeting 1,000 people, would involve counterpart contribution from beneficiaries, adding that whichever company succeeds as the service provider for the scheme must abide by the guidelines.

“The rules must be followed and standards must be adhered to in order to ensure competitive bidding, transparency and value for money”.

Earlier, the Managing Director, Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority, KNARDA, Dr. Junaidu Yakubu Muhammad assured that every company has an equal opportunity to bid for any of the project’s contract, pointing out that technical competence and financial capability is the key in executing the contracts.

Thirteen companies were represented during the bid opening consisting of four distinct lots.

In a related development, the financial proposal opening for design and supervision consultancy for the upgrade of 20 slaughter houses, by the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, was conducted at the conference hall of the agency.

During the exercise, the State Project Coordinator, Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad dwelt on the need for upgrade of the slaughter houses in view of their deplorable conditions.

“A committee of evaluators will be constituted to conduct in-depth analysis of technical and financial submissions from all the contractors, so that at the end of the day, the most suitable company will be selected to handle the work”, he explained.

Ameen K. Yassar
Project Communication Specialist
23rd November, 2021

Kano state Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, will renovate and upgrade Falgore Cattle market in Doguwa local government area and four other such markets across the state.

Work to be conducted in the markets include the provision of loading and off-loading ramps, watering facilities, drainages, office space for market information, security and veterinary services, lighting for trade and security at night as well as toilet facilities.

The State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad made this known while receiving representatives of Dairy and Farming Cooperatives from Falgore Community, who visited him at the project office.
He further revealed that the project has concluded plans to site at least five milk collection centers around the Falgore area, “so that members of your cooperatives can collect the milk in one location, from where it can be transported to markets or processors can come and buy, thus saving your women the trouble of travelling to the city to sell it”.

Malam Ibrahim urged the people from the community to support KSADP towards realization of its objectives, stressing that many of the project’s interventions would positively change the living standard of pastoralists.
The Project Coordinator listed specific areas of intervention including Grazing reserve development, fodder production, improved milk collection, stock route demarcation, Training and coaching for livestock activities, supporting small ruminants value chain, Livestock production and fattening scheme and improved animal health services.

He assured that KSADP and the state government are working together to see how they can initiate a programme to enhance socio-economic inclusiveness for Fulani youth.

Earlier, the representatives of the Dairy and Farming communities, Malam Haruna Mu’azu and Ardo Umar Lawan Motar Kara requested KSADP to provide schools for their children, engage their people in the project’s livestock fattening scheme as well as construct milk collection centers in their communities.

Ameen K. Yassar
Project Communication Specialist
16th November, 2021

Kano state Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, has signed an agreement with the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, NIAS, for pasture production in the state.

This is sequel to a meeting held between officials of the two organizations, at the sidelines of the just concluded National Agricultural Show, held at Karu, Nassarawa state.

Availability of pasture is very crucial in the development of Nigeria’s expanding livestock industry as the bulk of the animal protein especially milk and meat, consumed in the country, derive from cattle and small ruminants.

Shortly after signing the agreement in Kano, the State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, revealed that as part of the agreement, the project has allocated four hectares of land to NIAS, at Kadawa, Garun Mallam local government area, for pasture production.

“We have gotten approval from the state government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, to allot four hectares of land to NIAS, to enable the agency develop a pasture demonstration plot, which will become a center of excellence in this country”.

“When the demo plot is fully developed, it will be handed over to us (KSADP) and it will be used not only pasture production but for training of students of agriculture as well for servicing of pasture producers and livestock farm owners”.

“This will go a long way in supporting our fodder development initiative since presently, we have a 20 hectare fodder seed multiplication scheme at Dudduru, Ajingi local government, which is expected to form the backbone of large-scale, commercial fodder production in the state”.

“The more fodder we produce locally, the more pastoralists families we support, so there will be no need for them to travel long distances to get pasture, since the seasonal migration poses serious security risks and exposes them to economic loss”.

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, Professor Eustace Ayemere Iyayi said the endeavor would help in meeting increasing demand for fodder, explaining that the institute would use irrigation and rain-fed pasture production techniques to develop the four hectares given to it.

On his part, the Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Agency, KSADP’s executing agency, Dr. Junaidu Yakubu Muhammad, promised that the state government would create enabling environment for a mutually rewarding and sustainable partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science.

Ameen K. Yassar
Project Communication Specialist
16th November, 2021

Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Thursday, launched multiple, unprecedented agricultural empowerment interventions worth millions of Naira, under the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, targeting over 14, 250 beneficiaries, from the 44 local government areas of the state.

The empowerment initiatives include livestock Fattening and Reproduction scheme for 3,000 women and youth, support to 1,000 youths on Crop residue utilization, support to 1,000 small scale commercial fodder producers as well as training and support to 200 Community Animal Extension Workers.

Another remarkable intervention is the award of scholarships to 115 Ordinary National Diploma, Higher National Diploma, post graduate and PhD students from the State, studying livestock biased courses, especially milk processing, rangeland management and extension in various tertiary institutions. Also flagged-off was the KSADP/KNARDA Entrepreneurship support to 440 contract spraymen.

Others are provision of input support to 5,350 smallholder commercial farmers under the KSADP-SAA crops value chain cooperation, provision of agricultural mechanization pre and post harvest equipment to 85 farmer groups, comprising 2,125 people as well as donation of starter kits to 1,000 small holder farmers for dry season farming under the KSADP-KNARDA legumes value chain intervention.

The initiatives are in conformity with KSADP’s theory of change, which seeks to transform smallholder farming to commercially viable business by developing commodity value chains, in order to reduce rural poverty, food insecurity and unemployment.

Speaking during the event, Governor Ganduje said: “today’s combined event marks a major milestone in our strides towards empowering smallholder farmers to improve their incomes, to better their livelihoods and to enhance food security”.

“We believe that by increasing access to agricultural services including extension education, inputs as well as equipment, we are not only alleviating poverty but also building our economy in a sustainable way”.

“Beyond producing more food, agricultural interventions such as the one we are launching today are aimed at minimizing idleness especially among our women and youth, with its attendant implications such as rural-urban migration, drug abuse and involvement in criminal activities”.

The governor was happy that the KSADP intervention, with financing from the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Funds, focused largely on women and youth due to the conviction that they are strong factors in rural, agricultural and overall economic development.

He urged beneficiaries of the agricultural intervention programmes to make good use of the support given to them and to embrace better farming systems introduced by his administration, with the support of the KSADP and other donor funded projects, to drive away poverty and make the state’s economy less dependent on grants from the Federal government.

Tukur Jafaru Rabi’u, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed profound appreciation to the Islamic Development Bank, the Lives and Livelihood Funds and the government of Kano state for supporting them to attain improved production and by implication, improved standard of living.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

11^th November, 2021

Kano state Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, a project funded by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Fund has organized a 5-day training on Conflict Management and Resolution, for the 27-man multi stakeholder Kano State Stock Routes Demarcation Committee.

The workshop was organized in conjunction with SMAKIYA Agricultural Consult Limited, to build the capacity of members of the committee, to understand and manage conflicts involving herdsmen and farmers, which often result in unpleasant social, economic and food security consequences.

Holding at The Afficent, in Kano city, the workshop entails presentations by experts, scholars, lawyers and members of the civil society on topics such as Understanding the Dynamics of Conflict, the Role of Traditional Rulers in Conflict Management, Overview of Herders-Farmers Conflict in Northern Nigeria ss well as Arbitration and its principles in the Nigerian Legal System.

Other themes to be explored during the workshop are Law of Conflict under the Nigerian Legal system, Influence of Cattle routes and grazing reserves towards sustainable peace in Nigeria, Alternative Dispute resolution in the Nigerian Legal system and Exploring Community development in Rebuilding Pastoralists livelihoods during and after conflict in Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Deputy Governor of Kano state, who doubles as the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, tasked policy makers and other stakeholders in the country to evolve home-grown mechanisms that will deal with the factors responsible for incessant farmers-herdsmen conflict in parts of the country.

He stressed that “the timely intervention in such conflicts by traditional leaders is strategic in preventing the breakdown of law and order, thus, saving lives and property from being destroyed”.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Malam Balarabe Hassan Karaye, Dr. Gawuna said: “This issue of farmers-herdsmen conflict is a very serious national security matter which must not be treated with levity. Managing the conflict is necessary for peace and stability, without which developmental activities cannot be executed by the government”.

“There is competing demand for diminishing land resources between farmers and herdsmen and this has often resulted in disagreements, with unfortunate social, food security and economic implications”.

He said to efficiently manage farmer-herdsmen conflict in Kano, the state government initiated the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, designed as a multi dimensional poverty alleviation, food security and conflict mitigation strategy, adding that establishing Dansoshiya grazing reserve, under the project, would serve as a model for settling herdsmen in one location, thus, ensuring promoting peace.

Dr. Gawuna expressed appreciation to the Islamic Development Bank, the Lives and Livelihood Funds and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development, for their support towards achieving KSADP’s mission and vision.
In his remarks, the Managing Director, KNARDA, Dr. Junaidu Yakubu Muhammad recalled that the state government had set up Stock Route Committees, comprising eminent citizens and stakeholders, at the state and local government levels, to prevent crisis involving herdermen and farmers.

“Through the Kano state Agro-Pastoral Development Project, the state government has demonstrated genuine political will to modernize agriculture and pastoralism. This workshop is, therefore, a step in the course”.

The State Project Coordinator, Kano state Agro-Pastoral Development Project, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, stated that the conflict mitigation intervention was vital towards achieving the overall development objective of the project, stressing that “no one can go to farm or look after cattle or sell milk if there is no peace”.

Ameen K. Yassar
Project Communication Specialist,
Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project.

Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, is a potential game-changer that could enhance food security and improve livelihoods in Kano, by promoting climate-smart agricultural practices.
The State Project Coordinator, Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, stated this while receiving the Regional Director, Sasakawa Africa Association, SAA, Dr. Mel Oluoch, who paid him a courtesy visit.

He said the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and technologies, by KSADP, an Islamic Development Bank and LLF funded project, is very important for sustaining agriculture in Kano, in view of the current changes in climatic conditions.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, “Climate-smart Agriculture is an approach to help the people who manage agricultural systems respond effectively to climate change. The CSA approach pursues the triple objectives of sustainably increasing productivity and incomes, adapting to climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions where possible”.

“All over the world, countries are experiencing climate change which is causing reduction in rainfall and by implication, reduction in agricultural productivity”.

“Therefore, as our partners, Sasakawa Africa Association, (SAA), should pursue innovations, small machinery etc., aimed at reducing the impact of climate change on our agricultural practices”.

Malam Ibrahim observed that policy makers in Kano are desirous of seeing rapid results especially in the agricultural sector, hence the need for SAA to be more proactive in implementing the KSADP-SAA crop intervention programmes, which aims to improve food and nutrition security.

“36 percent or so of the over 1 million expected beneficiaries of KSADP are crops farmers, whom Sasakawa is expected to impact, through our collaboration. Therefore, you have a serious challenge to effect change in our agricultural sector”, the State Project Coordinator emphasized.

While appreciating SAA for the steps taken to improve agriculture in the state, Malam Ibrahim advised the organization to work more closely with research organizations and to publicize its activities, to make its impact worthwhile.

In his remarks, the Regional Director, Sasakawa Africa Association, Dr. Mel Oluoch, stated that his organization, which works in 16 African countries, is committed to using its vast experience, to bring sustainable solutions to challenges of climate change facing farmers in Kano.

Describing the Kano Agro-Pastoral Development Project as a timely intervention, Dr. Oluoch promised that his organization would help the project to strengthen its deliberate livestock-crop integration, with a view to ensuring resilient livelihoods in the state.

Ameen K. Yassar
Project Communication Specialist
18th October, 2021

Deputy Governor of Kano State and Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna visits Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project pavilion at the 2021 National Agricultural Show and World Food Celebration at Karu, Nassarawa State.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Celebrating the resilience and roles of smallholder farmers in sustaining food systems in Nigeria”.

Here are some photos from the event.

Kano state Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP has awarded contract in the sum of N60, 621, 500, for the supply of starter kits for 220 Community Animal Health Workers also known as Paravets.

The kits will contain a variety of vet tools, assorted animal drugs, cold boxes, lab coats, rain coats and boots.

This is coming ahead of the engagement and training of the Paravets by the project, to enable them deliver basic animal health services in their localities.

Shortly after signing the contract, which was awarded to SUMAK General Merchants, the State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad stated that five Paravets will be selected from each of the 44 local government areas of the state for special training, to enable them offer animal health services.

“The prospective candidates must be unemployed OND, HND or university graduates with certificates in animal science, animal health or animal production who will be trained and provided with the starter packs containing basic equipment and drugs, to enable them deliver basic community animal health services”.

“In return for such services, they will charge fees to restock and make a living. They will be under the supervision of veterinarians from the State Ministry of Agriculture and they will also be engaged to assist in state-wide animal vaccination campaigns. By and large, they will keep an eye on animal health to restrain outbreaks of diseases”.

“This initiative has far-reaching implications for human health besides creating jobs for our youth, who in the long term will train others to be self employed as well”.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

28^th September, 2021

Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, has awarded contract worth N38. 5 million, for renovation of Kadawa Animal Insemination Center, in Garun Mallam local government area of Kano state.

The move is part of strategies put in place by the project to facilitate breed improvement and dairy enterprise development in the state.

According to the state Project Coordinator, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, the renovation contract, which was awarded to HOMAD Associates, covers renovation of 20 cattle pens, fencing of the center, provision of solar powered borehole and provision of lighting.

Other components of the work are provision of a store, security room, flooring, roofing, painting as well as provision of feed and water troughs.

“It could be recalled that about one month ago, KSADP awarded contract in the sum of N9. 2 million for purchase of five pure breed Friesian bulls, as semen donors for the Kadawa AI Center. By the time they arrive, work will have been completed and our insemination activities will commence in earnest”.

“Our intention is to inseminate at least 25, 000 cattle in five years and you can imagine the impact that will be created in the local meat and milk industry”.

Malam Ibrahim explained that his project will also equip the AI center with modern facilities to enable it serve farming and pastoralist communities as well as commercial cattle breeders.

“The renovation work, which is expected to be completed within two months, and its subsequent functioning, will serve as the springboard for improvement of livestock value chain activities in the state”, he added.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

28^th September, 2021