Within the five years of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative, women will make up 40% of the beneficiaries, creating around 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.
This was revealed on Wednesday at the start of the delivery of agricultural supplies to the recipients of the FCT SAPZ project in order to increase agricultural output, by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State Dr. Mariya Mahmoud.
She was represented by Mr. Lawan Geidam, Mandate Secretary, FCT Administration’s Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) launched the SAPZ program in October 2022 with the goal of transforming Africa’s agricultural sector into one that is competitive worldwide and a significant driver of sustainable development.
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), which will transform the rural environment into economic zones of prosperity and harness the potential of commercial agriculture and food production, are the result of the AfDB’s collaboration with governments and the private sector in eleven African countries.
Regarding this, Mahmoud emphasized that food is the most fundamental need for human survival and that agriculture is vital to supplying this need.
She also emphasized that the nation’s economy is based mostly on agriculture, which supports millions of people and ensures food security.
The minister did draw attention to the various and intricate difficulties that farmers and agro-entrepreneurs must overcome, including inadequate agricultural practices, market accessibility, and climate change.
Mahmoud expressed hope that the FCT’s agricultural industry will become more resilient and sustainable as a result of the agricultural inputs acting as a significant catalyst. She listed the inputs as machinery, crop protection agents, enhanced seeds, animal feeds, and bull calves.
In addition, the minister declared that 5,000 farmers who raise crops and cattle had been identified, evaluated, and given approval to receive assistance during the initial stage of the SAPZ intervention.
Speaking in his capacity as the agriculture and rural development secretariat’s mandate secretary, Geidam said that SAPZ was started in order to maximize the potential of the FCT’s livestock subsector.
The objective of this project is to furnish vital funding and assistance to propel the industry’s expansion, efficiency, and longevity. He also mentioned that the scheme would train different groups and give them money for their individual farming endeavors.
He states that the assistance is anticipated to lower the high cost of production, allowing farmers to increase their income and standard of living.
In a similar vein, Hajia Umma Abubakar, the SAPZ Project Coordinator in the Federal Capital Territory, stated that the project is a flagship effort intended to transform Nigerian agriculture. In addition, Abubakar said, the project is anticipated to support the livestock value chain and concentrate on the industrial processing and marketing of dairy and beef goods.
There will be jobs produced for the burgeoning young and women population in Nigeria by advancing the livestock value chain and revolutionizing agriculture.
