By Hadiza Musa Yusuf
The Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme-Phase One (ATASP-1) will benefit at least 33 communities in Kano State.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf disclosed this on Monday while flagging off the programme at Bunkure local government of the state.
The Governor’s Deputy, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, who represented him, announced that the communities benefiting from the programme are from Bunkure, Rano, Bagwai, Dawakin Kudu, Bebeji, and Garun Malam Local Government Areas of the state.
He said major implements and other farming inputs such as fertilizer, seeds and agrochemicals would be given to the beneficiaries.
He added that the inputs would be distributed to the beneficiaries through ICT-Based delivery platform, which he said would immensely increase productivity and household incomes, as well as contribute towards bridging the national food gaps.
According to him, the farm inputs will be distributed to the beneficiaries with an 80 per cent subsidy in the headquarters of the six participating Local Government Areas.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, said the flag-off ceremony marked the commencement of this year’s delivery of subsidized inputs to about 60,000 farmers in the participating states.
ATASP-1 is a programme of the Federal Government that is funded by the African Development Bank(AfDB) whose objective is improving food and nutrition security and attracting private sector investment in agriculture.
The rest are reducing post-harvest losses,adding value to local agricultural produce and enhancing access by farmers and other value chain actors to financial services, among others.
