From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
Kano State Coordinator of Agro-Processing, Productivity and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS), Hassan Ibrahim, has revealed that over 300,000 people have benefitted from the programme in the state.
Ibrahim disclosed this in an interview with newsmen at a One-day Stakeholders Dialogue on the Use of Social Media in Promoting APPEALS Project in Kano State.
According to Ibrahim, APPEALS, a World Bank assisted programme, had yield fruits in boosting agricultural production that uplift the economic status of many farmers in the state.
He said the project had helped in boosting the production, processing and marketing of three value chain of rice, tomato and wheat, adding that over 300,000 had benefitted immensely in this regard.
The Coordinator also emphasised that the state government, under the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had supported 1,700 beneficiaries with N2 million each, aimed at empowering them in the production of the three value chain.
He also stated that the APPEALS project had succeeded in construction of roadsnfor easy transportation of the farms produce from the farmlands to the storage and processing facilities, thereby helping the farmers to save cost and have speedy delivery of the produce.
“In this three value chain, we have achieved tremendous success. For instance if you take wheat, we have provided modern gurasa baking machine, an oven that can make 50 pieces of gurasa in 8 minute.
“Out youths, who were trained on gurasa making, are still benefitting from it. They have opened gurasa making spots and employing over ten young people in each of the over 100 spots and they are earning a living.
“So, you see how the AAPEALS project, via so many other ways, has inpaceted the lives of the people in the state,” he said.
The Coordinator also said the essence of the dialogue is to enlighten the social media influencers and journalists to use their media to promote APPEALS project, aimed at sustaining the impact of the programme, which runs out next year.
He said, there is the news to engage social media influencers and journalists to co tinue spreading the activities of APPEALS in order to reach mass audience within and outside the country, noting that it would help in sustaining the impact of the project for up to 59 years ahead.
He urged the social media influencers to ensure they spread the activities of the APPEALS consistently, noting that “if you do this, you have contributed to the development of your state.
“You need to contribute your quota towards telling the wild what APPEALS did and what the Kano State government did to support APPEALS project in the state.
“This is your state. You should give maximum contribution to the development of your state,” the Coordinator said.
APPEALS Project is a six-year project developed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in collaboration with the World Bank and other stakeholders, aimed at achieving food security, local production, job creation and economic diversification.
