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Dr Esther Ahmed Kadala, SA on SDGs, Focal Person, AUDA-NEPAD
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
In its quest to get people self-reliant through employment opportunities in the agriculture sector, a total of 5,400 Small Scale Farmers in Bauchi State are set to be beneficiaries of the African Union Development Agency’s (AUDA) intervention under the New Partnership for African Development (AUDA NEPAD), Program on Agriculture.
Out of the 5,400 beneficiaries billed to benefit from the AUDA NEPAD program, 2,670, representing 55.61 percent are males while 2,310, representing 46.39 percent are females.
The disclosure was made by the Special Adviser on SDGs to Bauchi state Governor and the State Coordinator of AUDA-NEPAD and Focal Person, Dr. Esther Ahmed Kadala, while giving an overview of the program to the newly appointed Local Government Desk Officers of the intervention in her office on Tuesday. Esther Ahmed said that the AUDA- NEPAD program is an Agricultural and Agro- Allied intervention aimed at strengthening small holder farmers capabilities, accelerate productive land restoration and combat desertification.
A cross section of the LG Desk Officers
She further further stated that, other goals the intervention will seek to achieve is the promotion of innovative technology to reduce post harvest losses and also maximize food security amid covid-19 pandemic.
According to her, “The AUDA NEPAD program is specifically designed to respond to the medium and long term effect of Covid-19 pandemic on the socioeconomic activities in Bauchi State”.
The SA added that, “The program will focus on some selected activities that will be implemented on strong agricultural footing towards sustainable development”.
“The activities will include: drip irrigation farming and other irrigation facilities, green house construction and livestock production/husbandry farming, which will be targeted at women and people living with disability (PLWD)”, she explained.
Esther Ahmed added that, “Other focus areas of the program are tailored around agricultural equipment and infrastructure, post-harvest storage and processing, capacity building of beneficiaries and other stakeholders”, said the state coordinator”.
Esther Ahmed, who also doubles as the State Director General of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs} office, informed the LG Desk Officers that the State Governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed is committed to the AUDA NEPAD program”.
She stressed that, “His Excellency has graciously commit to match the counterpart funding in an effort to fast track the implementation of the program”.
The Coordinator then urged the newly appointed LG Desk Officers of AUDA- NEPAD program to support the State in ensuring successful implementation of the program that will enhance the economic status of the less privileged and vulnerable target groups in their localities.
It was also gathered that the Coordinator had held similar meetings with women groups in preparation for the implementation of the program.
Speaking on behalf of the 20 LG Desk Officers, Mallam Aminu Ningi thanked the State coordinator for having the confidence in them and also reassured her that she wont be disappointed.
Aminu Ningi assured that, “We will do everything humanly possible to see to the success of the program. You won’t be disappointed Ma’am”.
