From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has disclosed that it would commenced rehabilitation of 78 modern markets and construction of 5.1 kilometers of roads to farms settlement as part of measures to ease impact of COVID 19 on food supply chains across the state.
The State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, stated this during the flag off of distribution of inputs to beneficiaries of KB-CARES Fadama Result Area 2,held at KARDA, Kalgo Local Government.
Bagudu, represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Abba Sani Kalgo, disclosed that the state government had also injected N1 billion for the successful coverage of KB- CARES, apart from the N900 million grant received from the World Bank.
According to him, “like I said earlier, Fadama will implement result area 3 which is focused of increase of food security and food supply chain to households to mitigate effects of the COVID 19 pandemic and facilitate food supply chains in particular, under this result area. The enforcement and advocator will be addressed for the youths in the state and the society.
” Today’s event as you have seen is the distribution of inputs and chemical to the farmers across the state. The result area 2.2 is for the rehabilitation of the structures across the 21 local government areas with 5.1 kilometers roads to farms will be implemented by the Fadama.
“The result area 2.3 is for distribution of agricultural infrastructure for the process. This will involved thriller, which will be distributed by Kebbi state government. The result area 2.4 is for the rehabilitation of markets, the rehabilitation of 78 markets across the state.
” At this juncture, I am happy to announce that, my government in addition to the N900 million received from the World Bank as grant, has injected N1 billion for the successful of CARES programmes in order to ensure wide coverage of the programmes. I want to urge the beneficiaries to judiciously make use of what they got judiciously under the Fadama component of this programme for fruitful farming season “, he said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Solid Mineral, Alhaji Maigari Dakingari disclosed that, the State Government has distributed N2.4 billion worth of agricultural inputs to 7,900 farmers under its KB-CARES Fadama Result Area 2 programme assisted by World Bank.
He said,” This is NG- CARES programme and is two- year covid-19 stimulus package. The distribution of inputs to 7,900 small -holder farmers is aimed at supporting them with improved varieties of seeds, insecticides and fertiliser in order to ameliorate the effect of the covid-19.
“We are sure that the move will raise the living standard of farmers for them to go back to farming activities.”
Dakingari explained that the programme encompassed the construction of feeder roads for free flow of goods and services to major towns from the rural areas.
“We are doing all these free to farmers as morale booster for them to have sense of relief and energy to go back to farming activities sequel to the covid-19 enforced farming challenges,” he said.
The commissioner thanked Gov. Atiku Bagudu for his untiring efforts and commitment in agricultural development in the state.