The Development Objective (DO) of Commercial Agriculture Development Project is to strengthen agricultural production systems and facilitate access to market for targeted value chains (Poultry, Aquaculture and Rice) among small and medium scale commercial farmers in Lagos State, which herewith sit before me this morning. However, other States participating in the project include: Cross River, Enugu, Kaduna and Kano.
The project will help to improve access of participating small and medium scale commercial farmers to technology, infrastructure, finance, and output markets.
The total number of beneficiaries expected to directly participate in the project in Lagos State is estimated at 10,000 over a period of five years. Small and medium scale commercial farms will benefit directly while many households will benefit indirectly through access to farm roads, energy and market
The IDA financing of the project is US$150million and will include support for staple crops production in
response to the rising food prices in addition to Aquaculture and Poultry. The indicative total project amount including counterpart contribution is estimated at US$185million of which IDA will provide US $150 million.
Each State is expected to benefit a minimum of US $26million over a period of 5 years for the project.
The project commenced physical disbursement to beneficiaries under the project in May, 2010 and since then a total of One Hundred and Thirty Six (136) Commodity Interest Groups (CIGs) comprising of 1,471 individual small and medium scale commercial farmers across the three value chains of Poultry, Aquaculture and Rice have been supported under the project to expand on their farming enterprises. In addition to the direct beneficiaries of the project, an estimated 29,238 people living in the farming communities have also benefited from the project intervention. In terms of physical output, the project has supported the beneficiaries in acquiring the following equipment for their farming businesses:
1. 571 Units of Collapsible Fish Tanks
2. 174 Units of Plastic Fish Tanks
3. 50 Units of Fish Smoking Kilns
4. 1 Unit of Fish Smoke Drying Plant
5. 985 Units of Nipple Fitted Battery Cages
6. 5 Units of Fish Extrusion Plants
7. 4No 4WD Tractor + Implements
8. Mini Combine Harvesters and other improved equipment
9. Storage Bins and various Agro Inputs
10. Improved Fish Brood Stocks for Breeding
11. Mini Transport Facilities of Farmers product to market (Tricycles etc)
The project has equally supported rice farmers in Itoikin and Itoga in cultivation of over 200 Ha of Farmland in the previous year and already preparing to open up new areas in Ise, Obada, Igbogun, Lekki Lepia, Okun Ajah etc (Epe Local Government Area) and Adamo, Agunfoye (Ikorodu LGA) with additional cultivable farmlands of 250 Ha.
Also, the project has constructed 10 No Rural Access Roads in 10 different locations across the state totalling 22.19Km of both paved and lateritic roads valued at about N640 million while another 10 No with additional 17.40 Km in 10 No locations across the State have been designed and will commence physical work before June 2012. The roads are to improve access for Poultry, Aquaculture and Rice Farmers in the State.
In like manner, 10 Communities have benefited from the Rural Energy support under the project. This involves the supply and installation of Transformers, High Tension and Low Tension wires etc for use of farms. The rural energy intervention is to assist farmers and processors in value addition, increase profit, generate new jobs, reduce poverty and enhance access to both internal and external market by project beneficiaries.
Although it is barely 23 months that the project began physical disbursements to beneficiaries, some elements of project result have began to emerge. Of note, is the support the project gave to Fish farmers in the area of local production of floating fish feeds which hitherto had been imported at exhorbitant prices. With the intervention, the price per kilo of floating fish feed came down from N300 to N190, resulting in a cost saving of about 37%.
Similarly, with the wide adoption of Nipple Fitted Battery Cages and Transport Cages for live birds by project beneficiaries under the Poultry Value Chain, Mortality of Birds have reduced by over 15%, egg production have increased by 20%, cost of veterinary services have reduced just as incidence of broken eggs have declined significantly.
The poor quality as well as high mortality rate experienced in the production of Clarias Juvenile triggered the popularization of hybridization technology that was widely accepted especially among Aquaculture Farmers in the State. In view of the short duration required for the production of juvenile, its production recorded a remarkable output with production increasing by 69% in first year of intervention etc.
An estimated over 4,000 new Jobs has been created across the Value Chains as a result of the various project interventions across the State.
As at 29th February 2012 the project had accessed US$7.295 million from the IDA, representing 27.69 % of the total credit of $26.34 million. In addition, the State Government has fully paid her 2009 - 2011 counterpart fund contribution amounting to N486 million. The 2012 counterpart fund has been approved.
We present what we have is a far cry from the expectation of Lagos State Government as well as the World Bank. This is the main reason why this meeting is called for people within the CIGs/ CADA who are suppose to facilitate adequate documentation of these indicators within the framework of CADP to be able to report result and justify the huge amount we have spent and we are spending on this project.
Ladies and Gentlemen, w hat we have is a far cry from the expectation of Lagos State Government as well as the World Bank. This is the main reason why this meeting is called for people within the CIGs/ CADA who are suppose to facilitate adequate documentation of these indicators within the framework of CADP to be able to report result and justify the huge amount we have spent and we are spending on this project.
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