Appeals embark on implementation support mission in 6 states

 
The National Coordinating Office of Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement, And Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS) Abuja has embarked on an implementation support mission in six participating states of the project.
The World Bank assisted project is ongoing in Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Cross River, Lagos and Enugu states. 


The implementation support mission will run from January 18 to February 5, 2021, according to Appeals National Project Coordinator, Malam Muhammad Sani Jobdi.
Addressing the three days pre-6th implementation support mission on Wednesday in Kaduna, Malam Jobdi said, “the mission objectives are to review project implementation progress across all project components to ensure that the project is on track to achieve its development objectives. 
“Essentially, to provide implementation support to the project teams in all areas of critical concern and agree with states on the required actions and activities that would further facilitate the achievement of the project development objectives.


“A team of NCO staff, drawn across project components, representatives from the Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, and Project Coordinating Unit will participate in the mission in preparation for the forthcoming mid-term review of the APPEALS declared disbursement effective in May 2018.”
The deputy governor of Kaduna state and Chairman state steering committee, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Hajiya Halima Lawal, urged Appeals to ensure that 350,000 Nigerians benefit from the programme as projected and to deliver interventions to the 10,000 WYEP people selected and trained across the six states to become agripreneurs. 


“As we are approach the mid term review of APPEALS, we must not lose focus on the 350,000 farmers that the Project is designed to benefit, both directly or indirectly. These farmers across our states and across the 11 value chains of the Project are waiting for us to provide them with capacity and support to improve their productivity, efficiency and livelihood. 

“This Pre mission needs to focus on strategies to fast-track implementation. We have screened, selected and trained about 10,000 WYEP beneficiaries in the six APPEALS states. Please work hard and diligently to deliver the interventions to these young men and women who are keen and enthusiastic to become agri -prenueurs and contribute to the development of agriculture, especially the girls and women. 
“We have experienced great challenges in the past year, especially COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted on the economy, agriculture and project implementation. However, greater prospects this year largely depends on our collective efforts beginning from the deliberations and outcomes of this pre -mission reviews and the strategies will come up for speedy implementation,” she said.


She assured Appeals and other participants that Kaduna state government will continue to give APPEALS all the support and policy guidance necessary to succeed. 

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