The Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase 1 (ATASP-1) of the African Development Bank and the Federal Government will collaborate to provide irrigation facilities, farm inputs and feeder roads in rural areas. The National Coordinator of the programme Mr. Haruna Akwashiki, who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday at the Mid-Term Review of ATASP-1 review of the programme said that youths training and empowerment, agro-processing and provision of simple post-harvest equipment would also be given priority during the second phase of the programme.
The ATASP-1 was developed by AfDB and Federal Government in 2015 to contribute to food and nutrition security, employment generation and wealth creation along the rice, cassava and sorghum value chains will commence the second phase of the programme soon. Akwashiki explained that the key outcomes of the programme included creation of 120,000 jobs, training and empowerment of 200,000 youths and women as well as production of 20,000 metric tonnes of rice, cassava and sorghum.
According to him, the Mid-Term Review is to assess the performance of the programmes’ first phase, discuss achievements, challenges and way forward for the second phase. ‘‘I sincerely believe that the review will consolidate ATASP-1 achievements and strengthen the commitment of our donor, the AfDB. ‘‘ATASP-1 will focus on rural infrastructure, youth training and empowerment, agro-processing, provision of basic inputs like fertilisers, seeds, agro-chemical to farmers. ‘
‘The programme is addressing the constraints of rice, sorghum and cassava value chains in four staple crops processing zones,’’ he said. Mr Ibrahim Ahmodou, a representative of AfDB, said the review would help the bank to get first hand information on the physical implementation and financial activities of the programme. “We want to listen to the benefi ciaries, we want them to express their views freely to make the next phase of the programme more successful,’’ he added.
