World Bank to support Nigeria’s agric development

World Bank said it is ready to assist Nigeria develop her commercial agriculture.

The World Bank Country Director, Mr. Onno Ruhl said this Monday in a goodwill message he delivered at the Commercial Agriculture Development Project’s 4th Bimonthly progress review meeting in Kano.

He said the Bank was ready to assist Nigeria in making commercial agriculture a reality, according to a statement from the Bank.

He said fast disbursement of funds to beneficiaries will be balanced with quality work for better results.

Onno Ruhl said the Bank expects Commercial Agriculture Development Project not just to safeguard Nigerian food security but to also “replace food importation with food exportation.”

CADP is a $150 million project is being implemented in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Cross River and Enugu states.

Onno Ruhl commended CADP team for the keen determination and competitiveness with which the participating states were implementing the project, adding that among the 28 projects supported by the World Bank only CADP was holding rotational implementation and supervision review meetings in the participating states.

Task Team Leader of the project, Lucas Akapa expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the five participating states in terms of laying solid foundation for the effective implementation of the project.

The National Project Coordinator of CADP, Aminu Babandi said the rotational bimonthly meetings were aimed at taking stock of the progress of the project in the implementing states, sharing experiences and developing action plan.

The Kano state Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaij Musa Sulaiman Shanono told the gathering that commercialization of agriculture has the potency to create wealth.