ATASP-1 Project Implementation is progressing rapidly says The National Program Coordinator, Mr. Akwashiki Haruna.

NPC. Mr. Akwashiki Haruna

Read his responses to some of the salient questions.

What is the whole idea behind the creation of ATASP-1 Project?

In 2009 the Federal Republic of Nigeria adopted Vision 20:2020 which laid the overarching policy framework for Nigeria to become one of the top 20 economies in the world by the year 2020. 

This requires an annual economic growth of 13.8%, and a transformation of the primary products oriented economy (agriculture and crude-oil production) to an industrial, manufacturing and services oriented economy. Towards implementing the Vision 20:2020, the present Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) under the leadership of President MuhammaduBuhari is making deliberate effort to attract private sector investment in agriculture, reduce post-harvest losses, add value to local agricultural produce, develop rural infrastructure and enhance access of farmers and other value chain actors to financial services and markets.  

The African Development Bank (AfDB) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development designed the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase-1 (ATASP-1), which is being funded by the AfDB as its contribution to agricultural development in Nigeria. The ATASP-1 is being implemented in 5 years (2015-2019). The objective of ATASP-1 is to ensure attainment of food and nutrition security, contribute to employment generation and wealth creation. The key outcomes include: Creation of 120,000 jobs; empowerment of 200,000 youths and women on various agricultural enterprises as well as production of 20,000 metric tonnes of food crops per annum for a period of 5 years of implementation.

This project is being implemented in four agro processing zones of the country. What informed the choice of these zones?

The choice of these zones was a result of various assessments of the capacities of selected States which revealed that the four Staple Crops Processing Zones (SCPZs) of Adani-Omor, Bida-Badeggi, Kano-Jigawa and Kebbi-Sokoto had comparative advantages in the three agricultural commodities that the Project is promoting. These crops are rice, sorghum and cassava. 

ATASP-1 is covering 33 LGAs in Seven States of Anambra, Enugu, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Niger and Sokoto with a land area of 194,426 square kilometers and a population of 32,121,944 people who are predominantly farmers. The participating states indicated their willingness to support the implementation of the project.

Let’s look at the states that are benefiting from this project. I am aware that they are expected to pay counterpart fund. Are they really responding positively in that regard?

Despite the dwindling resources experienced by the participating States, Jigawa, Anambra, Enugu, Kebbi, Sokoto and Niger have paid their counterpart funds for 2016. Only Kano State is yet to contribute its counterpart fund. However, Kano provided a befitting office accommodation and a vehicle for ATASP-1 Zonal staff based in Kano. Niger and Kebbi States also provided office accommodation and a vehicle each for the ATASP-1 staff. As I mentioned earlier, the participating States are supporting ATASP-1. You may also note that 70% of ATASP-1 fund is for infrastructure development. 

The Program is into the construction/rehabilitation of abandoned infrastructures such as irrigation schemes, feeder roads, potable water facilities, primary schools, rural markets, health centres, technology demonstration centres etc. These infrastructures fit into the development agenda of the Governments.

So far, how will you assess the implementation of the project?

I can confidently inform you that the project implementation is progressing rapidly. Construction works on social infrastructure is at various levels of completion across the four (4) zones and some of them are ready for commissioning. Meanwhile, contracts for the road projects and irrigation schemes are to be awarded in January 2018. Roads Evaluation Reports have been sent to AfDB for permission to enable us award the contracts. Engineering design and cost estimates for irrigation schemes have been completed. 

Two (2) health facilities are ready for commissioning in the zones. Ten (10) Number water supply schemes at Adani-Omor ,Bida-Badeggi and Kebbi-Sokoto are ready for commissioning. One number technology demonstration centre is ready for commissioning at Adani-Omor SCPZ while 3 Nos Youth Training Centres are 100% completed.  

These are located at Kubwa (FCT); Minjibri (Kano State) and Onne (Rivers State). On the level of Value Chain Development, over 40,000 youths have been empowered on various agricultural enterprises as a way of job creation intervention for the youths. The beneficiaries have also been trained on seed production technology, agronomic techniques as well as agro-processing technologies in all the participating States.

Sir, how many communities, smallholder farmers are currently benefitting from the projects and what is the total number of clinics, rural roads the project hopes to achieve and how far, so far?

Presently, 200 rural communities in 33 local government areas of Anambra, Enugu, Niger, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi and Sokoto States are benefiting from the project. A total of 692 demonstration farms have been established across the zones on rice, sorghum and cassava. 52,410 beneficiaries have been reached directly through the program intervention. And 152,651.7 metric tones of food have been produced and released into the domestic economy. ATASP-1 has linked the beneficiary farmers to off-takers. Such off-takers include: Honeywell Flour Mill; Northern Nigeria Flour Mill; Labana Rice Mill; Atagiri Rice Mill; Onyx Rice Mill; Tara Agro Industry; Nigeria Starch Mill etc. This approach has tackled the issue of absence of market for the products of the farmers.

ATASP-1 is constructing a total of 14 clinics in the Program areas. Two (2) clinics are ready for commissioning. The remaining ones are at various stages of completion. A total of 52 potable water supply and sanitation facilities are being constructed. But ten (10) numbers are ready for commissioning. Fourteen (14) community produce markets are being constructed. Four (4) Technology Demonstration Centres are under construction. Twenty eight (28) primary schools are at various stages of completion. Three (3) Youth Development Centres have been completed. These are located at Kubwa (FCT); Minjibir (Kano State) and Onne (Rivers State). 

The Centre at Kubwa has been commissioned by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief AuduOgbeh, OFR. A total of 267.79km of roads are to be constructed. The evaluation reports on the bids received from contractors have been sent to AfDB for no-objection to enable us award the contracts. On irrigation schemes, the designs and cost estimates have been received from the consultants and are being reviewed by ATASP-1 Engineers in preparation for onward transmission to AfDB for no-objection to enable us advertise.

What are the challenges being faced while implementing donor supported projects in Nigeria?  

  

Some of the challenges being faced while implementing donor supported projects in Nigeria include: untimely payment to contractors, untimely payment of counterpart fund, and long Procurement Processes. Others are unwillingness of the financial institutions, especially commercial banks to lend to farmers and other actors along the commodity value chains and  poor extension services to women due to inadequate availability of female extension agents. The available male extension agents have limited access to women farmers due to cultural and religious beliefs.

 Lastly sir, are there specific areas the project will focus on in 2018?

We will ensure that before the end of first quarter, 2018, all the social infrastructures are commissioned and handed over to the beneficiaries. In addition, contracts for construction of roads and irrigation schemes will be awarded before the end of February, 2018. Furthermore, deliberate attention will be on youth capacity building and empowerment. This is in line with the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria under President MuhammaduBuhari to develop infrastructure as well as youth empowerment.