Lagos govt vows to sustain APPEALS project

Based on the various successes recorded within the six years of implementing the Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project in Nigeria, and particularly, Lagos State, the state government said it will sustain the programme despite the completion of the partnership with the World Bank.

Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) is a World Bank-assisted project implemented through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in six participating states of Cross River, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi and Lagos.

It is a six-year project that runs between 2017 and 2023 to enhance agricultural productivity of small and medium scale farmers based in the six participating states.

It is anticipated that 35 percent of the total direct beneficiaries will be women and at least 10 percent will be People Living with Disability (PWD) as the project has a dedicated sub-component to benefit women and youth.

In Lagos State, the project enhanced agricultural productivity of small and medium scale farmers and improved value addition in poultry, aquaculture and rice.

Lagos State deputy governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, affirmed that the state will sustain the programme while speaking during a courtesy visit to him at his official residence at Osborne, Ikoyi, by the delegations of the World Bank, Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National Coordination Unit of APPEALS project.

He said that the APPEALS project has been successful in the state with over 10,000 people benefiting across different levels such as farming, fishing, food processing, amongst others, adding that these have led to the realignment of markets and other values have benefited in the state.

According to him, “Though the project is coming to an end, the state government will sustain it. We are here to discuss the exit plan and hence the state will now find a way to keep it up, sustain the legacy, to make sure that the beneficiaries don’t phase off and how to push new beneficiaries into it.”

Hamzat was of the view that the collaboration has improved the processing capability and agriculture credentials of the state and the country.

He stated that the tonnage per production for rice has increased from 1.5 to 2.5 tonnes, so also for the local rice, Ofada, likewise, the tonnage gotten per hectare of land has increased.

Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo, Lagos State Project Coordinator for APPEALS, stated that the project had five components in the state: productivity of farmers with three value chains poultry, aquaculture and rice; support for women and youths; infrastructure, amongst other components.

According to her, in the poultry sector, farmers in the state have been supported, the productivity for broiler of farmers has increased from 1.8 to 2.5 in six weeks and such growth has been recorded in the production of eggs, adding that the state has successfully adopted egg powder technology.

She said the development recorded in the state through the project, especially in the aquaculture sector, included the tilapia fish encaged culture, has been promoted and concentrated on two water bodies in Afowo and Epe areas of Lagos State.

She noted that over 180 cages have been built on the two waterways.

According to Sagoe-Oviebo, the project was targeted to support 700 women and youth initially but at completion, the target was exceeded to 1,786 women and youths.

“Capacities have been built through the support received from the Lagos State government. Out of which 1,738 of the beneficiaries have been supported with inputs that have made them gainfully employed and have also made them employers of labour presently,” she said.

Similarly, Eze Ihuoma, the Enugu State Project Coordinator for APPEALS, stated that the project has been very impactful in the state, that jobs have been created for women and youths and the livelihoods of farmers have been improved through technology and inputs which has improved agricultural production generally.

“The project is already transforming agriculture in the state. The APPEALS project is very satisfactory across the state, from the feedback we are having, it has been a lot of success,” she said.

Dr Manievel Sene, the Task Team Leader of the APPEALS project from the World Bank, in his remarks, stated that the project was designed to increase the productivity and processing of farmers in some selective states to ensure food security in the country.

He noted that in the course of the project, a lot of training, capacity-building technology dissemination and adoption for investment has been achieved.

On the implementation of the key activities, Sene said, “We have key elements that show what has been done in the different states and these include clear strategies in place for scaling up, taking ownership by the states and exit plans after APPEALS scores which is very important for the World Bank.”