Borno Farmers to Receive $9 Million From World Bank

Borno State farmers under the Fadama programme are to benefit from a $9 million (N1, 368,000,000) counterpart support from the World Bank if the state and local governments meet the required commitment in its counterpart payment, the National Project Coordinator (NPC) of the National Programme for Agriculture and Food Security (NPAFS), Abdulazeez Mohammed said this at a meeting with governor Hashim Shettima, in Abuja.

He said the World Bank has earmarked a total of $9 million as support to the state but the backlog of payment arrears from past administrations has made it difficult to assess the fund since the programme work is based on a counterpart funding formula consisting the development partners, states, local governments and the benefiting communities (farmers).

“Borno State is not participating effectively in the Fadama projects so we are asking the state to take part in this laudable project which has been proven to be successful in participating states and about $9 million has been earmarked for Borno State,” he said.

On his part, Governor Shettima assured the NPC of full payment of counterpart fund by the state saying he has the determination, the will and commitment to grow and revolutionize agriculture in the state and provide employment to unemployed youths.

He said: “We are willing to embrace the latest technologies and input for bountiful harvest especially in the face of growing population. Agriculture is the mainstay of Nigeria and the low level insurgency in Borno is largely due to unemployment, hunger and illiteracy which are dangerous and agriculture is our only gateway to provide employment for our youths.

“So we are poised to buy into all your programmes and encourage value addition in agriculture,” he said.

AllAfrica

2 Comments

1. 

   Nosby Serenity Smooth

   September 22, 2011 at 7:37 am

   LET,S CALL A SPADE A SPADE  MY FELLOW COUNTRY MEN………….IS THE WORLD BANK NOT ALSO PART OF WHAT THE BOKO HARAAM FUNDAMENTALIST  CALLED   WESTERN EDUCATION????????    YET   THEY ACCEPT LOANS FROM THE WORLD BANK“…..THESE PEOPLE REALLY RIDICULE THEMSELVES  AND REALLY AMUSE NIGERIANS……9 MILLION DOLLARS….OR ARE DOLLARS NO LONGER WESTERN CURRENCY THEY,VE EARLIER PREACHED ABOUT???????
2. 

   Neutral

   December 5, 2011 at 10:53 am

   Mr Smooth, are you emphasizing that every Borno farmer is part of the Boko Haram group? Don’t be quick to call a Spade a Spade……SPADES vary!!!