News in brief:
-Â Governor Peter Mbah has launched a $19.4 million agro-processing project in Enugu State aiming to transform the state into a net exporter of agricultural products within four years.
– He highlight the impact that the project has already had including contructing and operating a rice processing centre in the state.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has launched the $19.4 million Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project.
The initiative is aimed at enhancing food production and is expected to turn the state into a net exporter of agricultural products within the next four years.
The APPEALS project, which is a collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the World Bank, kicked off in 2019. It has already positively impacted over 13,000 direct beneficiaries, according to a news report, including farmer groups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and agro-entrepreneurs.
The project’s highlights include 15 aggregation and cottage processing centres, 10 energy installation sites, and capacity building exercises.
Governor Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia at the event, emphasised the importance of agriculture in the state’s economic development.
He remarked that his administration anchors the sustainability of the economy on agriculture and its potential of earning ‘huge revenue’ for the state. Further, he lauded the efforts of the Enugu APPEALS project in constructing, equipping and using the Nara rice processing centre. Governor Mbah subsequently declared that the agricultural revolution of the state has moved from ‘pipeline to platform and from dream to reality.’
Also, Ihuoma Eze, the Enugu State APPEALS Project Coordinator, highlighted the project’s impact on farmers’ lives and delved into the economic potential of the aggregation and processing centres.
She said that the centres have been equipped with all the necessary value chain pieces of machinery for optimum operation. Furthermore, Eze added that it was necessary for the centres to contribute significantly to food security, livelihood improvement, and export.
The APPEALS Project is expected to play a vital role in achieving Enugu State’s goal of becoming a net exporter of agricultural products. It is also hoped to contribute to the overall development of the state’s economy.
