The 4th Implementation Support Mission, (ISM) of the Agro Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support, (APPEALS) Project kicked off with a technical meeting in Abuja as part of efforts to prioritise value chain.
The meeting held at the National Coordination Office of the Project in Abuja was jointly presided over by the World Bank Senior Agriculture Economist and Task Team Leader of the APPEALS Project, Dr Adetunji Oredipe and the National Project Coordinator of the APPEALS Project, Dr Amin Mohammed Babandi
During the meeting, the National Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Mr Adekunle Adesoye presented the overview of the APPEALS Project since the last Implementation Support Mission in Calabar.
He highlighted the implementation progress made across the five components of the APPEALS Project in the Participating States and at the National level since the last mission.
Speaking at the meeting, the Task Team Leader, Dr Adetunji Oredipe said, “the APPEALS Project has all it takes to succeed. The APPEALS Project is the most important Project of the World Bank in the Agriculture sector in Nigeria right now. To whom much is given, much is expected. Let us work together as a team to make the APPEALS the best Project.”
The APPEALS National Project Coordinator, Dr Amin Mohammed Babandi reiterated the specific objectives of the project which is to boost the efforts of the government by harnessing the priority Value Chains to contribute significantly to Food Security, Increased Agro Exports and Livelihood Improvement, while enhancing the agricultural productivity of Small and Medium scale farmers and improve value addition along the priority value chains in the participating states.
He urged the Project staff to remain focused on activities that would advance these objectives.
The main objective of the biannual Mission is to assess the overall implementation progress of the Project.
