The Country Director of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dede Ekoue, has expressed strong commitment to make the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones project thrive in Nigeria.
She made the declaration at the SAPZ-1 High Level Implementation Acceleration Dialogue and State Steering/Technical Committee Workshop organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with Development Financing Institutions (DFIs), including the African Development Bank (AfDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) on Monday in Abuja.
Speaking, Ekoue recognised the active role of the Executive Governors of Kano and Ogun States, which are pivotal partners in the SAPZ initiative.
Highlighting the efforts in Kano, she said IFAD is currently working with the state government on an accelerated pilot project aimed at boosting rice and tomato farming while improving the connection between farmers and off-takers.
This effort according to her has resulted in the signing of off-take contracts, which mark significant progress for the agricultural sector.
In collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank, she said IFAD has also prioritised the procurement of agricultural inputs for farmers participating in the pilot programme.
Ekoue stressed that key actions such as strengthening coordination, enhancing technical capacity, and ensuring adherence to fiduciary and human resource guidelines are crucial for the successful implementation of SAPZ 1.
“IFAD remains dedicated to supporting Ogun State, with ongoing discussions about finalising loan agreements that will kickstart SAPZ implementation”, she said.