The Niger Government has approved N87 million balance of 2016 counterpart funds to execute projects under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi, revealed this in Minna on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the ministry by the IFAD/Federal Government`s supervision team on rice and cassava value chain.
According to him, before the coming of this regime payment of counterpart fund for this programme was not encouraging.
“But we have vowed that in spite of paucity of funds with regards to the balance of N87 million for 2016 approval has been given.
“What we are waiting for now is the cash backing to ensure that the money is released toward the success of the programme in the state.
“As soon as we get revenue accruing to government we will release the money,” he said.
Abdullahi said that the state government was partnering with the Federal Government and IFAD to improve the agricultural sector.
The commissioner said that one of the priorities of government was to resuscitate 18 dilapidated irrigation schemes across the state to improve dry season farming.
He commended IFAD for the execution of projects in the state, which he said was a huge success because farmers were already benefiting from them.
In his speech, Dr Sam Ereme, Mission Team Task Leader, had urged the state government to pay the balance of counterpart funds to ensure success of the programme.
“It is on record that Niger State Government has contributed N20 million in the last two years.
“We also learnt that government has approved N87 million for 2016,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Mathew Ahmed, the State Programme Coordinator, said that the team`s visit to the state was to evaluate the programme.
According to him, they have come to check us, correct us and evaluate us.
The programme which commenced in August 2014 would run simultaneously as a pilot scheme in six states of Niger, Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Ogun and Taraba for six years.
Also the benefiting states and IFAD would pay counter fund on the programme while the Federal Government would manage the national office of the fund.
The fund had committed over $232.2 million since 1985 in Nigeria and had financed nine programmes.
Since 1985, IFAD has financed nine programmes and projects in Nigeria, with a total loan commitment of over US$232.2 million. Nigeria currently attracts over 40 per cent of the financial resources that IFAD allocates to Western and Central Africa.
IFAD’s support to the Nigerian Government’s poverty reduction programme in rural areas targets large numbers of smallholder farmers and is essentially people-centred. IFAD supports programmes and projects that work with communities, with smallholder farmers as the key players. The organization also promotes commodity-based interventions that provide technical and financial support along several value chains – such as livestock products, rice and other cereals, roots and tubers, vegetables and agroforestry products.
NAN
