The African Development Bank (AfDB) has unveiled its commitment to allocate $134 million in aid to Nigeria for enhancing the cultivation of vital crops such as rice, maize, cassava, and soybeans, aimed at bolstering food production.
Akinwunmi Adesina, the president of the bank, made this announcement during his visit to the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) at Bayero University, Kano, on Saturday.
The AfDB aims to support Nigeria in cultivating 300,000 hectares of rice and maize, along with 150,000 hectares of cassava and 50,000 hectares of soybeans for the upcoming 2024 planting season.
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Adesina stressed the significance of adapting to climate change and embracing improved irrigation techniques, particularly for dryland crops that exhibit higher resilience and tolerance.
Furthermore, the AfDB will extend grants to the CDA and collaborate with it to establish a center dedicated to weather pattern forecasts and data collection, empowering farmers to make well-informed planting decisions.
Moreover, the bank intends to foster youth entrepreneurship in agriculture through initiatives like the provision of a $20,000 grant for Agri Pitch and Agri Hacking, with the objective of translating innovative business concepts into reality.