FG, AFDB step up engagement on ATASP-1

The Federal Government in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AFDB) has organized a 3-day capacity building workshop for the new staff and key stakeholders that will drive the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme phase-I (ATASP-1).

The African Development Bank in conjunction with Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development established the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme phase-I (ATASP-1), which is been funded by the AFDB as its contribution to agricultural development in Nigeria.

The National Programme Coordinator (ATASP-1), Mr. Haruna Akwashiki, stated during the Programme Facilitation Training Team Workshop that the programme will empower 200,000 youths and provide training on agricultural enterprises.

Mr. Akwashiki said the programme will focus on small scale farmers, who will be clustered in large numbers for the core investors who will establish processing mill in their areas particularly along the sorghum, rice and cassava value chains.

Ibrahim Amadou, the chief agricultural economist in the AFDB Nigeria country office, said the programme was making good

various progress and has been effective.

ATASP-I is a 5-year project and will engulf $175.85 million, with $152.12 and $0.385 million from African Development Finance loan and grant resources respectively.

The project will be executed in four Staple Crop Processing Zones of Adani-Omor in Anambra state, BidaBadaggi in Niger state, Kano-Jigawa and Sokoto-Kebbi covering 28 local government areas.

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