The President and Chief Executive Officer of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina has disclosed that the bank and its partners are supporting the federal government to implement a $500m programme for the development of specialised agro processing zones across eight states of the federation.

The states are Cross Rivers, Imo, Oyo, Ogun, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He added that Nasarawa State and 28 other states fall under the second phase of the programme.

Adesina made the disclosure during the inauguration of a soya beans oil processing refinery at the CSS Global Integrated Farms Limited, Gora in the Karu Local Government of Nasarawa State.

Adesina stressed the need for leaders at all levels to develop viable policies and programmes that would support local farmers and boost the agriculture value chain in the country.

While regretting the level of hunger in Nigeria due to hike in food prices, Adesina said accelerated efforts are needed to expand food production, lower the price of food commodities, eliminate food import dependency and support local farmers to feed the nation.

Earlier, the deputy governor of Nasarawa State, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, while speaking on behalf of Governor Abdullahi Sule commended the founder of CSS Global Integrated Farms Limited, John Kennedy Okpara for establishing the state of the art facility in the state.

 

He further reiterated the state government’s commitment to continue to operate an open door policy for investors in order to make the state a major investment destination in the near future.