The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced plans to provide Nigeria with $134 million in support for the cultivation of essential crops like rice, maize, cassava, and soybeans, with the aim of boosting food production.
Akinwunmi Adesina, the president of the bank, disclosed this during his visit to the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) at Bayero University, Kano, on Saturday.
The AfDB intends to assist 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 2024 planting season.
Adesina emphasized the importance of adapting to climate change and adopting better irrigation methods, particularly for dryland crops that are more resilient and tolerant.
The AfDB will also provide grants to the CDA and collaborate with it to establish a center focused on weather pattern predictions and information collection, enabling farmers to make more informed planting decisions.
Additionally, the bank plans to support youth entrepreneurship in agriculture through initiatives like the $20,000 grant on Agri Pitch and Agri Hacking, aiming to turn innovative business ideas into reality.
