The
World Bank Group and the French Development Agency have thrown their weight in
supporting the development of rural communities and modernization of
agriculture in Adamawa, Enugu, Osun and Niger states to the tune of US$230
million about N37.4 billion.
An
online statement sent by Bamidele Oladokun of the World
Bank Group and
sighted by NaijaAgroNet said the bank is contributing
$170 million while the French Development Agency is contributing $60 million
under the Second Rural Access and Mobility Project.
World
Bank Director in Nigeria, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly was quoted in the
statement as saying, “agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria’s rural
economy and growth in the non-oil sector which can be accelerated by improving
roads that are vital to increase agriculture productivity, access to health as
well as education for rural communities.”
It
also quoted Task Team Leader and World Bank Senior Infrastructure Economist,
Mohammed Dalil Essakali, as saying that “the sooner these rural communities are
provided with transport access under the project, the higher the chances that
they will see real improvement in their access to social services and to
opportunities to market their agriculture products, and hence increase their
income.”
The
release read: “Building on the experience from the First Rural Access and
Mobility Project (RAMP-1), that is rehabilitating more than 420 kilometers of
rural roads and 130 river crossings in Kaduna State, the Second Rural Access
and Mobility Project (RAMP-2) launched in Abuja will support rehabilitation,
upgrading and maintenance of about 1,450 kilometers of rural roads and building
65 river crossings.
The
statement added that innovative community-based road maintenance schemes will
involve local population in the design and operation of maintenance works, thus
creating employment opportunities for men and women living along the roads to
be rehabilitated.
*With additional report from BusinessDay
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pix: Minister of Agriculture and Rural Dev Dr. Akinwumi Adesina
