ACReSAL, World Bank-funded agric project, reduces poverty among farmers by 41

Joy Iganya Agene, the Task Team Lead of the Agro Chemical Resilience in Semi Arid Landscapes Project (ACReSAL), a six-year, World Bank-assisted agricultural project, has said that the project has contributed to the reduction of poverty through an increase in income for farmers by about 41%.

Agene stated this during the opening ceremony of the ACReSAL, Hybrid Additional Financing (AF) Pre-appraisal mission at the Bauchi State Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, saying the percentage could go beyond 50% and more.

She described Bauchi as one of the best ACReSAL State, which understands donor funding and the required support, appealing to the State Government to further improve investment, involvement and operations under the new funding window.

Agene said that the push for additional financing at mid-term, following a review in Lagos in May/June, reflected strong performance by participating States.

Also speaking during the occasion, Abdulhameed Umar, the National Project Coordinator of the ACReSAL, lauded the good performing of Bauchi State on ACReSAL project.

Umar described the project as performing, a rating that triggered the move for additional funding across 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

“Bauchi happens to be one of our best-performing States as far as ACReSAL is concerned. We didn’t find it difficult to come to Bauchi because ACReSAL is actually being implemented and delivering results here”, he noted.