Pulse.ng : AGRA inaugurates agro-processing centre for women in Kaduna, forecasts N182,870,000 in first fiscal year

By Sani Idris

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), has on Wednesday launched an agro processing centre in Sabon Gari Kahuta, Kauru LGA of Kaduna State, where it forecasted to generate N182,870,000 in the first fiscal year.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Kahuta multipurpose processing venture is an agro-processing center established as a critical component of the AGRA intervention programme.

The intervention project, is tilled "Enhancing resilience and upscaling of gender inclusive rural economy for increased productivity, livelihoods and food security.

It aimed at increasing productivity for 50,000 smallholder women and youth farmers strengthen access to output markets at scale, increase the capacity of smallholder farming households and value chain actors to better prepare, adapt to shocks and stresses.

The project is being implemented by a consortium coined the AGRA Gender Consortium made up of Value Seeds Limited (VSL) the lead partner of the project with core delivery on production.

Palm Valley Nigeria Limited (PVNL), a member of the consortium, is in charge of implementing the value addition, enterprise development and financial inclusion section, and Legal Awareness for Nigeria Women (LANW) on the advocacy component.

Speaking to NAN at the event, the Country Director for AGRA in Nigeria, Mr Rufus Idris, said they are focused in contributing to the progress and sustainance of the inclusive food system transformation happening in the country.

He added that AGRA was poised in Nigeria to ensuring accelerated increase income for small holder farmers and public to have access to affordable and nutritious food.

In doing that, he said it goes beyond supporting the productivity level which they were doing in terms of helping farmers access seeds, knowledge, finance and working with Government to ensure enabling policies.

Idris however said that Nigerian experience alot of post-harvest losses, which informed agro processing centre in Kahuta to enable the women add value to what they are producing.

"It will enable them add value to what they are producing. Doing so will increase their income, access better market that will pay them a premium share of the cost of their produce and also help reduce post harvest loses in the country.

"We ultimately believe that in empowering women, youths and farmers in different areas in the country to take ownership of the whole process of their farm produce from harvest to adding values and selling, they make more profit and access better market that will pay them more.,"he said.

Speaking further, Idris explained that situating the agro processing centre in Kauru was because the farmers there have the comparative advantage of producing rice, maize, the village accessibility and the lot of women who operate cooperative associations which falls within AGRA's interest in working with.

He added that AGRA has been working with the community since 2022 in various areas in enhancing agriculture.

"The women also operated a savings scheme to raise money to attract financing, we saw the committment and willingness in them to make sure this happen.

"The processing centre is not purely an AGRA funded project, they also brought in their equity commission to make it work.,"Idris said.

According to the Country Director, if Nigeria could address hunger and poverty issues, it could impact on sub-saharan Africa, where farming could be the ultimate lead.

He expressed optimism that the project would be sustained, noting that the women undergone training in farming, entrepreneurship and how to manage businesses, financial literacy training among others.

Also, Dr Esther Ibrahim, the Programme Officer for AGRA in Kaduna, explained that the women in Kahuta who were hitherto operating a welfare group and making contributions for ceremonies, embraced Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) as soon as it was introduced.

Ibrahim who doubles as the Programme Officer overseeing and managing AGRA's gender consortium intervention in Nigeria, said the women received training on operation and management of the VSLA and seven groups of 25 members was formed, registered and inked to financial institutions.

She explained that two of the groups, the Kahuta Zaman Tattali Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society and the Sabon Gari Kahuta Multi Purpose Cooperative Society used the interest from their savings to purchase a 50ft x 50ft piece of land and donated for the purpose of construction of the agro processing centre.

Ibrahim therefore commended the women for their resilience, time, cooperation and their resources in ensuring that the project was done.

She called on the Kaduna Government to replicate the project it other LGAs in the state to gurantee food security and ensure self reliance of the youths and women.

Also, Project Manager of Palm Valley Nigeria Limited (PVNL), Mr Philip Kachina, said that the Kahuta multipurpose processing venture is being managed by carefuly selected and employed team made up of Mill Manager, Supervisor and Admin/Accounts Officer responsibe for the mil operations, purchasing and supply and marketing respectively to be coordinated by the PVNL.

He added that the management would be responsible for setting and meeting up targets on monthly, quarterly and yearly basis, where the day to day operations of the organization will be the responsibility of the cooperating associations.

"This team shall develop products based on the exigency of time, design and set procedures for timely/quality service delivery, effective control of operations, and coordinate all activities carried out by the organization to ensure profitability and sustained growth,"he said.

Kachina also said that like every other business, the agro processing centre is established to generate income via rice parboiling and miling services, sales of milled rice and packaged by products, rice de-stoning and polishing services, storage facilities, maize milling services, and revenue through sales of rice husk (briquettes), a composite of waste to renewable energy.

"The Kahuta multi purpose processing venture is forecast to generate income from thosr sources because of its strategic location, high performing equipment, well trained managers and friendly pricing regime.

"The enterprise is projected on all factors being equal such as stable economic growth and strong competitors offering same services and products with same location to generate NGN182,870,000 (USD234,448.72) in the first fiscal year,"Kachina said.

Speaking on behalf of the women, Mrs Paulina Emmanuel, said women in local communities were now taking up the burden of households and family responsibilities.

She therefore pledged that the project, which was achieved through their support and resilience, would not be left unsustained.

Emmanuel thanked AGRA and all the critical stakeholders who ensured realisation of the project.

NAN reports that the event had in attendance the representatives of the Emir of Kauru and LGA Chairman, the Kaduna Agriculture Development Agency (KADA), Value Seed Limited, Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women (LANW), among other key stakeholders.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)