Farmers with special needs to benefit agro-support project

At least 1000 farmers, who are also People with Special Needs (PSNs), are expected to benefit from an agricultural support intervention anchored by Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) project in Kano.

The APPEALS project coordinator in Kano, Malam Hassan Ibrahim stated this during a one-day sensitization meeting with PSNs in the state.

Ibrahim said the sensitization meeting was to educate PSNs on how to get fully involved in agriculture, adding that, the project had stipulated that out of 10, 000 targeted beneficiaries, 10 per cent should be PSNs.

He said the initiative, which is a World Bank, the federal and Kano state governmenst supported project, was aimed at enhancing processing, value addition, post-harvest management, women and youth empowerment.

It is also aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and other disturbing issues affecting the progress of small and medium farmers’ prospect in agro-business across rice, tomato and wheat value chains.

Addressing the participants the project’s women and youth livelihood specialist, Malam Usman Muhammad, said the project would only intervene in areas chosen by the members adding that, “a special training will be conducted to acquaint them on the requirements to be fulfilled to enable them access the intervention package.”