Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, will expend millions of Naira, in the development of grazing reserves as well as establishment of platforms to manage grazing reserves and stock routes in several locations across the state.

The State Project Coordinator, Alh. Ibrahim Garba Muhammad revealed this during a visit to the Village Head of Dangora, Ardo of Dansoshiya forest and a cross-section of community leaders, in Kiru local government area of the state.

“Our biggest investment in this direction is in developing the Dansoshiya grazing reserve, the largest in Kano state, which is about 4,312 ha”, he stated.

“This initiative is part of our several strategically designed programmes, aimed at curbing itinerant lifestyle by herdsmen and its accompanying repercussions. This endeavor will keep them with animals around their homesteads and help them to grow and store feed for the animals”, Alh. Ibahim Garba stressed.

“This visit, is therefore, to inform you, as critical stakeholders, that we are sending some officials to enumerate the pastoralists households, cattle heads and sundry needs, within the Dansoshiya Forest axis and to identify their development needs, so that we can plan projects and programmes which suit them best”, the State Project Coordinator explained.

He said the KSADP intends to provide infrastructure and services that will make life comfortable for the herdsmen living within Dansoshiya Forest and its surrounding area, adding that input from the beneficiaries would make the project a resounding success.  

He urged the stakeholders present during the meeting to help create awareness on the project and to ginger communal support towards its implementation.

In their respective remarks, participants at the meeting promised to cooperate with the project officials towards successful stock-taking of their development needs and eventual improvement of the Dansoshiya grazing reserve.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

The Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project will improve food security as well as increase incomes and livelihood in the state, in line with the Federal Government’s Economic and Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Consequently, it will support the government’s efforts at enhancing agricultural productivity and competitiveness through access to inputs, value addition and market access, extension services and capacity building.

According to the State Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, the multi million US Dollar project will contribute significantly to poverty reduction, job creation and food security in the state “through sustainable development of selected crop and livestock value chains”.

He stated this while receiving Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Kano University of Technology, Wudil, who is also the Principal Consultant, Center for Agro Entrepreneurship and Development, who visited the project office in the state capital.

“As you may be aware, this project is funded mainly by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Fund, LLF, and it aims to improve livelihoods for the target groups by helping farmers to identify and manage their own development needs, improving livestock production and improving marketing systems and infrastructure for grains and livestock products”.

“This project will, among other things, pay attention to some relevant cross-cutting issues such as private sector involvement and strengthening of existing institutions to improve services to farmers and herders. It may interest you to note that women and youth will be a particular focus of this project”.

Malam Ibrahim Garba, therefore assured that the project was ready to work closely with all stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental agencies and the private sector to ensure that the project’s mission and vision are achieved.

In his remarks, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai explained that the Center for Agro Entrepreneurship and Development, is engaged in agribusiness and general entrepreneurship and livelihood training of especially women, youth and other vulnerable groups, to take advantage of the enormous goldmines that abound in agriculture and environmental management, for sustainable national development.

“We provide our trainees with hands-on skills and competencies needed to meet the demand of the fast changing agricultural value chain and agribusiness systems for sustainable food security and economic development”, he stated.

In this regard, Prof. Yakasai said the visit to the Kano Agro Pastoral Project office was to explore ways of mutual cooperation with his center, especially in the area of capacity building for he projects target beneficiaries.

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist

4^th June, 2020

A 20 – MAN Steering Committee has been inaugurated for the Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP.

The Project is a $95 million project funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Life and Livelihoods Fund (LLF). It focuses on improving crop production and enhancing livestock productivity in the state, even as its overall objective is to contribute to reducing poverty and strengthening food and food security.

In a message to the inauguration, the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna explained “that the project emphasizes enhancement of agricultural production, productivity and competitiveness of both crop and livestock, with expected reduction in the number of people living below the poverty line in the state”.

“In quantitative terms, it aims to improve the living conditions of over 1, 260, 000 million people across the 44 local government areas of Kano state, and that is quite a large number of people”, he added.

Dr. Gawuna, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Agriculture, Mal. Adamu Abdu Faragai, hinted that the project also aims to address incessant conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.

“The project will initiate an unprecedented development momentum in Kano. As it unfolds, it will have tremendous positive impact on our environment and will contribute immensely towards improving the management of our natural resources”, he affirmed.

On the Steering committee, Dr. Gawuna disclosed that “it is a significant component of the project management that will serve as an advisory body, comprising stakeholders. It will review project annual work plans and budget, implementation progress reports and provide guidance on different issues that could affect the project”.

“The committee will meet twice a year in the first three years of the project and once a year in the subsequent two years. However, extraordinary meetings of the committee can be held whenever the need arises”, he added.

The Deputy Governor expressed optimism that the steering committee will work closely with the Project Executing Agency, the Project Management Unit and other stakeholders to guarantee the project’s sustainability.

Members of the PSC which is to be chaired by the State Deputy Governor, in his capacity as Commissioner for Agriculture, include the Chairman, State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, the Director-General, Rural Access and Mobility Project, as well as representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources, Justice, Finance, Environment, Budget and Economic Planning, KNARDA, and the Project Management Unit.

Others are one representative each from Crop Farmers Associations, Milk Processors Association, L&Z Farms Nig. Ltd, Cattle Herders Association, Butchers Association and the Kano State Grazing Reserves Management Committee.

Responding on behalf of the members, the state Project Coordinator, KSADP, who is also the secretary of the steering committee, Mal. Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, pledged that they would work as a team to make the set goals achievable.  

Ameen K. Yassar

Project Communication Specialist