The State Project Coordinator, Kano State Agro-pastoral Development Project, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba, has affirmed that the 70 kilometre rural access roads constructed by the project in selected communities across the state are on the verge of completion.
He said “Efforts are being made to ensure that these projects are completed within the next few weeks”, the Coordinator told a mission from the Abuja Regional Hub of the Islamic Development Bank, during a visit to one of the project sites in Madobi local government area.
“When completed, the road projects, funded by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Funds, LLF, will link up many communities, facilitating the movement of people, goods, and livestock, thus, enhancing rural and economic development’.
According to a Press Release made available to Transport Day by the Project Communication Specialist, Ameen Kabeer Yassar, the Coordinator revealed that the Zarewa – Danguzuri road has been completed and commissioned by the State governor while the Minjibir – Baita road is ready for commissioning. The other roads are at advanced stages of completion.
“In some communities that are very far from major markets, besides the rural roads, we have constructed 20 mega aggregation centres, to link the farmers with potential produce buyers and to provide production, post-harvest and marketing services”, he added.
The team also visited milk collection centre projects at Karfi, Kura local government area, where the project Coordinator, Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, explained that the KSADP aimed to construct 100 milk collection centres across the state, out of which 40 have been completed.
“This is one of the major steps we have taken to strengthen the dairy value chain and improve the livelihood of herdsmen in Kano”, he stated.
Responding to a question on the management and sustainability of the Milk Collection Centres, Malam Ibrahim highlighted that they would be managed by independent committees, comprising of stakeholders who will be responsible for the day-to-day operations, including milk collection, storage, quality control, and financial management.
The visiting team held interactive sessions with the Project Management Unit of the KSADP and other stakeholders in the project including implementing partners SAA and KNARDA, as well as IITA and ICRISAT, who are providing technical backstopping to the value chain development implementation.
