Gov. AbdulRaszaq in the Voyage to Catalyse Agro-industrialization as Kwara SAPZ Project Sensitizes LGAs

 By Sangodare Ayinla

 If the vast land endowment of Kwara is acknowledged with ample agricultural activities, it implies that there is truly a responsible government on ground wisely harnessing the natural resources of the state for the benefit of the people. Since the inception of the administration of Mallam Abdulrahaman AbdulRazaq, the Kwara State Governor, the State has been known for a palpable change that has immensely and positively impacted on the lives of Kwarans. The ambience of the new narrative in the state has resulted in huge development. There is no doubt, the emergence has brought revitalization to agriculture, this is just like the other sectors of life are wearing new faces, making the state a cynosure for investors. Salute and ovation to a performer! That is why the assessors of his numerous achievements, whether on the objective font or on the opposition camp, whether with an impression birthed by sincere admiration or sensibility of diatribe, fall into the voyage of meaning searching. This reality is characteristic of an achiever who refuses to trumpet his accomplishments. Then, it is the achievements; and both the admirers and the critics that will proclaim such successes. And the Governor continues to be a mystery to every observer when it comes to governance and achievements in all sectors of life.  

An exploration into the investment of Governor Abdulrazaq in agriculture will reveal a commendable trait of a performer and icon of socio-economic transformation. With his administration, there have been policies for revolutionising agriculture, several agricultural interventions to farmers in terms of distribution of agricultural inputs and assets, all to boost food security and improve the farmers’ livelihood. Among these numerous interventions is the example of the Kwara Fadama CARES disbursement of inputs and assets to the vulnerable farmers in the state. Likewise, execution of the L-PRESS project is an applaudable development to complement the SAPZ project by targeting at a level of efficiency in production of milk, meat or other goods. Its objective is to improve livestock productivity, resilience and commercialisation of selected value chains. This will also strengthen the state’s capacity to respond to an eligible crisis.      

It is another big hit for Kwara now that it is dawning on all and sundry that the State Governor has keyed into the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Project, the initiative that is expected to catalyse agricultural development through industrialisation. With this project, prospect is profoundly on the way for Kwarans. His Excellency has once re-assured the people when he reiterated his government’s resolve to encouraging agricultural buoyancy that will capacitate Kwara to generate multiple jobs for youths, thereby creating wealth opportunities for the populace. Particularly, he enthused Kwarans with “In the next two years when our Agro-Processing Zones are launched, you will see that Kwara will be the leading state in dairy production” while fielding journalists’ questions in Cairo-Egypt during the “Intra-African Trade Fares 2023”. The submission was enlivening. And now, a green light in respect of the special agro-industrial processing zone project now seems to be beaming in the state.

It should be recalled that the Governor is adequately relating with the other actors of development in other states. That’s why he further noted in the above quote that arrangements are underway to bring "Arise Investment", a leading investment company, to the State. This effort is expected to turn kwara to a big industrial park which will energise and excite economic buoyancy in the state.  

The economic significance of the project had earlier been disclosed by the State Governor during the inauguration of the project’s Steering Committee in the State, “This project has the capacity to radically impact the economic and livelihood of so many Kwarans. As such, it is immensely important to me as the Governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the state Steering Committee.” 

The National Project Coordinator, Dr. Kabir Yusuf, once described the SAPZ Project as a major transformation to mobilise investment in food production and processing in special zones for stakeholders across the agro-processing value chain. He added that SAPZ will help Nigeria to accelerate transformative private sector investment whose impact of prosperity and job creation will promote food security and sufficiency. 

Yusuf referred to the project as a game-changing and viable wealth creation programme designed to transform Nigerian agro-processing landscape. He then singled out Kwara and FCT as the only states that fully key into livestock value chain out of the states on board with the SAPZ Project.

Financed by the loan secured from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the SAPZ project concentrates on areas of high agricultural production to expand the economic opportunity of the local produce through exportation and to address food insecurity and unemployment. The Kwara SAPZ Project will entail an Agro-Industrial Hub (AIH), which is to be sited at Malete in Moro LGA; and four Agricultural Transformation Centres to be situated in Olodan, Afon, Kinninkinnin and Gida Magajiya in Ifelodun, Asa, Kaiama and Baruteen LGAs respectively. It is not only livestock-biased; it also has a consideration for crop farming. In essence, it prioritises dairy, beef, maize, rice and soyabeans value chains. The Agro-structure will be supported with the facilities such as production cluster (production drivers, irrigation, mechanisation and extension services), aggregation centre, so that effective production and productivity, and smooth networking process will take place. The infrastructure components of the project like feeder roads, power infrastructure, drainages, water treatment plant, clinics, business-support ITC centres and procurement centres have both social and economic implications.

Appraising the efforts of Governor AbdulRazaq on agriculture, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, who chairs the Technical Committee on Kwara SAPZ Project, Honourable Oloruntoyosi Thomas, stated that the administration at its inception came up with a 10-year Agricultural Transformation Plan to improve production that will eventually improve youths, livelihood, touch lives and boost economic activities in the state. She noted that Kwara’s approach is agro-business including four pillars of inputs, production, processing and market linkage, adding that, that is why the government distributes timely, quality inputs to verified real farmers. She substantiated that the government has embarked on four interventions for farmers within the year 2024.

The Commissioner further disclosed that all the efforts so far prepare the state for effective processing that is realisable in the SAPZ Project. Honourable Thomas then predicted that in the next five/six years, Kwara will cease to be a civil servants’ state, and become an industrialised, globally known, exporting state and one of the states in the nation that are famous for agricultural vitality.   

To carry the concerned stakeholders at the local level along, the staff of the Kwara SAPZ embarked on a sensitisation exercise to the sites of the projects. The sensitisation visits, which held between the 5th and 14th of September 2024, were made to Olodan, Afon, Kinnikinni, Gidan Magajiya and Malete. Stakeholders met during the sensitisation exercise included traditional rulers, farmers, women, youths and herders. Through the visits, the team also discovered the present status of the communities involved, the conditions of the farmers and the facilities on ground.

Addressing the hosts in the communities visited, the State Project Coordinator, Kwara SAPZ Project, Engr. Dr. Busari Toyin Isiaka, educated the people about the project, stressing that the project’s multiple effects will transform the communities of project sites, with materialisation of developmental successes and bring Kwara to spotlight in agricultural production and productivity. Referring to the State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as an inspirer of development, the Coordinator said that the project will open opportunities and bumper harvest of prospect for the people in the areas of the sites and Kwarans generally. Categorically, he revealed that the project will generate fifteen thousand jobs.  

  

Busari pointed out that there is consideration for both livestock (dairy and beef as the major value chain), while maize, rice and soyabeans are prioritised among crops.

 "It is out of the need to harp on food and nutritional security, fight poverty through job creation and develop the communities hosting the Agro-processing project that the state government is partnering the Islamic Development Bank to hugely invest in the livestock enterprises and crop farming.

   "As both beef and dairy value chains are major and prioritized on the one hand, the crop farming aspect of the project will consider maize, rice and soybeans," Busari enlightened. 

He added the project will entail pastural development and that the grass (Brachiaria ruziziensis, Pennisetum purpureum) in the pasture will supply fibre and energy), while the legumes (Stylosanthes guianensis, Lablab pupureus, and centrosema pubescent) will supply protein to the farm animals which will increase dairy and beef production as the pastural development will afford herders better yields. 

Receiving the sensitisation team, the Emir of Kaiama, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Omar Sheu Muazu, Kíyaru I, was delighted to give the government, the team, and the project royal blessings. The First-Class Traditional Ruler said that Kaiama is a dear to His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, saying that a Processing Factory project is on-going in the area and that the Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Project coming up now is a welcome development. He then pledged acceptability and hospitability, stressing that the people of Kaiama are farmers, lovers of development "so Kaiama is going to take the agricultural advantages accrued with the project on completion. It is a pleasure that Kaiama is included in such a project. As a community, we are ready to collaborate with you to succeed because we know that the project is going to assist us in fostering food security in Kwara and Nigeria at large. When the government takes a certain number of youths out of poverty, there will be a drastic reduction in the poverty rate." 

Other traditional rulers that lent voices to the sensitisation included the Baale of Olodan, Mallam Abdulganiyu Abdullahi, the Mogaji of Afon, Mallam Ibrahim Adebayo Mohammed, the Jowuro of Afon, the Ki Wazi of Wazibe, Chief Ahmed Ibn Moh'd, Head of Fulani herders in Gidan Magajiya, Abubakar Gidado the Mogaji of Malete, Alhaji AbdulRahman Babatunde Oreoluwa, who expressed delight and cooperation. 

According to Baale of Olodan, the Kwara SAPZ Project is a mission to bring economic value to Olodan through agricultural revolution of the Kwara State Governor, stating that the area is now producing glory in a new shape. He then pledged the support of the people of the village for the Governor and the project, promising that Olodan village will forever be a conducive host to the project. Similarly, the Mogaji of Afon confirmed that Governor AbdulRazaq is not lagging in project execution and that Afon community has enormously benefited from such, noting that this livestock project will bring the community to a greater height in terms of socio-economic development. Playing host to the Kwara SAPZ team, Head of Fulani herders in Gidan Magajiya, Abubakar Gidado, declared that the project is a true way of positively intervening in the lives of the herders, livestock, and crop farmers. 

 

Speaking on behalf of women, Mrs. Mariam Abdulraheem and Mrs. Olatundun Dembo observed that this project reminds the women in Kwara of their time of buoyance and relevance, thanking the government for the decision to count the women folks lucky in the story of Kwara Agro-Industrial processing project. They are of the opinion that the economic advantage of the project will attract indigenes of the State back to their various towns within the State.

The team also gave room for youths’ participation, who did not hide their delight over the project. Mallam Nurudeen Abdullahi, Mr. Surajudeen Fulani and others expressed readiness and support for the project which they said will improve their economic status through job creation.

In reality, the success of any project lies profoundly in the adherence to its development objectives, and these objectives must be stated clearly that the stakeholders must comprehend and prepare for, right from the inception. An efficient beginning especially when the actors are well abreast of the content and philosophy of the project helps in envisaging a fruitful implementation. This is what the Kwara State SAPZ Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) led by the State Project Coordinator, Engr. Dr. Busari T. I strove to achieve with the sensitisation visits. And the ambition for such a step is to prepare for promotion of local agricultural products, attraction of investors to the state, reduction of post-harvest losses, catalysing economic opportunities and generation of jobs (especially, youths and women) through a revolutionary formula of agro-industrialisation. 

Kwara State is endowed with a vast expanse of arable land suitable for industrial agriculture, the foresight of His Excellency is commendable, bearing in mind that a large number of the people in the State are committed to farming will give the SAPZ project a soft LANDING. Hence, Kwarans are ready to welcome an Agro-Industrial Hub which will transform their economic condition.