The African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) plan to jointly release the sum of $520 million to boost the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Nigeria.
The six South South states in the country are to benefit from the funds meant to support the SAPZ.
The Commissioner for Information in Cross River State, Erasmus Ekpang, disclosed that the 5th state executive council approved for the state to release their counterpart funds for the SAPZ programme, which is a federal government project.
He said, “Cross River State is the only state in the South-South zone of the country qualified for the programme that will see the injection of over $210 million in investment funds into six participating states, including Cross River State, from the African Development Bank, who are project partners.”
He also disclosed that, “Other project partners, such as the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), are jointly contributing $310 million.”
According to him, the Nigerian government is investing $18.05 million in the programme.
Lake Chad, ABU
Similarly, as a further way to bolster agriculture, the state has partnered with the Lake Chad Institute of Research and the Ahmadu Bello University Institute of Research to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
This partnership aims to provide improved seeds for various crops such as maize, wheat and cowpeas.
Governor Sen. Bassey Otu, who witnessed the signing of the partnership in his office, between the State Commissioner for Agriculture and the representatives of the two institutions, emphasised the importance of agriculture.
He disclosed that agriculture remains his administration’s main focus.
Otu said his government is committed to subsidising all factors of production and has conducted soil mapping to optimise crop cultivation.
He said his government’s initiatives like ‘Project GROW’ will provide farmers with access to finance and also ensure sustainable and profitable agricultural practices in the state.
“We try to focus on agriculture in a way and manner that is sustainable, and ensures that risk is reduced to the barest minimum. We have carried out and completed the soil mapping of our state to know the soil texture of each location and what crop will have better yield in each soil type to ensure maximum yield in crop cultivation.
“In the state, we have created project GROW, one of the missing links has been access to finance for farmers and off-takers.
“We created the platform where we pay in N150m every month. We are trying to make sure all the value chains have access to funds to own the farms and increase their production.”
“Our focus on commercial agriculture is very clear, and we cannot be growing seeds or buying seeds. It is in line with this that we are collaborating with you. You are tested and proven with results in other climes.”
The Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute, Alhaji Baba Gana Kabir, said the state is making history within the southern region in agriculture.
“Cross River is making history. What we are doing here today is unprecedented, we have collaborations in North East and North West. This is the first of its kind in the southern part of Nigeria,” he stated.
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