World Bank lauds FG, as 965,157 persons benefit from FADAMA III
The World Band has commended the
Federal Government for the successful implementation of FADAMA III
programme, which has so far benefited 965,157 persons, including
582,099 males and 383,058 females.
Dr Adetunji Oredipe, the World Bank
FADAMA Team Leader, gave the commendation in Abuja while speaking
with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.
He said that this year alone, a total
of 47,505 beneficiaries — 35,382 males and 12,123 females – had
benefitted from the programme, under its additional financing phase.
He said that that the Third National
FADAMA Development Project (FADAMA III) had achieved its aims and
objectives, particularly those relating to the sustainable increase
of the incomes of FADAMA users.
“This has been achieved by increasing
the incomes of FADAMA users; the project has aided efforts to reduce
rural poverty, boost food security and contribute to the achievement
of a key objective of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“The project has sustainably
increased the incomes of FADAMA resource users by directly delivering
resources to the beneficiary rural communities in efficient and
effective ways.
“It has also empowered the
communities to collectively decide on how resources are allocated and
managed for their livelihood activities, while participating in the
design and execution of the sub-projects of the programme,’’ he
said.
Oredipe noted that the farmers now had
a voice in the discourse on national issues, as they were grouped
under the Federated FADAMA Committee Association.
“In terms of historical background,
World Bank can conveniently say it has been a good story as to the
FADAMA project and we commend the efforts of the Federal Government
in implementing the project beyond the estimated target of 300,000
participants,’’ he said.
He noted that a lot of money had been
spent on the execution of the FADAMA programme in Nigeria, adding,
however, that the huge investment could be justified with what was on
the ground.
“This can always be improved upon,
when you look at the result of FADAMA I, it is encouraging as many
farmers were empowered and were able to produce all year round,
during the wet and dry seasons, thereby boosting their productivity
and income.
“FADAMA II also came out clearly as a
success story and the third phase is nothing different, as reflected
in the interim report,’’ he said.
Oredipe said at inception, FADAMA III
had a target of 300,000 beneficiaries, adding that at the moment, the
number had doubled because the project was extended with additional
financing.
“The additional financing is an
opportunity to demonstrate how the World Bank group can support
Nigeria to drive its Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).
“One can see the high level of
commitment and political support which the project garnered from the
three tiers government and the participants,” he said.
The World Bank official said that the
additional financing phase of FADAM III was particularly used to
boost the income of the users of rural lands and water resources
within the FADAMA areas in a sustainable manner throughout the
country.
Mr Tayo Adewunmi, the National
Coordinator of the FADAMA programme, said that the programme was
executed in line the World Bank’s vision and strategy for Nigeria.
He said that the programme was
implemented via a participatory approach so as to promote community
ownership, while ensuring that the programme was financially and
economically viable, technically feasible, socially desirable and
environmentally sound.
The coordinator said that the FADAMA
III project, which was supposed to cover 300,000 beneficiaries, had
been extended beyond the initial six core states that were selected
to drive the transformation around the four value chains.
He added that the states were Kogi,
Niger, Kano, Anambra, Enugu and Lagos.
He said that the ongoing FADAMA III
project, which was supposed to wind up in 2017, had been extended to
2019 because of the interest shown by the states and the response of
the north-eastern states, which were hitherto affected by the Boko
Haram insurgency.
Adewumi said that it was an indication
that many more people were showing interest in the programme, thereby
increasing the number of its beneficiaries.
He said that apart from the 200 million
U.S. dollars, which was initially earmarked to finance the FADAMA III
programme, additional 50 million dollars was set aside to further
fund it to cater to the needs of the six north-eastern states that
were troubled by the insurgency.
Adewunmi said that out the additional
funds, Borno received 12.5 million dollars, Yobe got 10 million
dollars and Adamawa got 7.5 million dollars, while Bauchi, Taraba and
Gombe states were given five million dollars respectively.
“The remaining five million dollars
is for consultancy, operational costs, research and studies as well
as the running of the national office,’’ he said.
He said that the FADAMA III project had
been a success story because of the institutional structures, which
the World Bank put in place to drive the project.
“To ensure sustainable results, World
Bank has designed the project with several components, which include
capacity building, project management, monitoring and evaluation,’’
he said.
Adewunmi noted that the components of
the project also involved capacity building of farmers and local
governments, as well as giving communications and information
support.
He said that another component of the
project entailed the provision of infrastructure, advisory services
and input support.
“Under this component, the project
provides advisory services and support to empower FADAMA users —
farmers/pastoralists and other economic interest groups (EIGs) —
working within their organisations and through their local government
councils,’’ he said.
Adewumi said that incoming reports
indicated that the FADAMA programme had boosted the farmers’ income
as well as their access to water resources, while empowering women in
rural communities.
He said that the project was not only
focusing on agricultural production, adding that it was also aimed at
processing produce for marketing, in line with the federal
Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).
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