Collins Nnabuife | Abuja
THE State Coordinating Office of Enugu APPEALS Project has flagged off the implementation of the Women and Youth Empowerment Programme targeted at empowering smallholder farmers in the rural communities.
The Governor of the State Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi while flagging off the programme, commended the project for empowering 1700 women, youth and people with disability to start up agribusinesses in cashew, poultry, rice, aquaculture and cashew value chains.
The Governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor and the Chairman of APPEALS State Steering Committe, Barr. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, said that the WYEP programme is a major vehicle to realising food security, empowerment of youths and women in Enugu. “We are committed to the programme, because, through it, we have been able to pull over 1,700 beneficiaries out of poverty”.
The Co Task Team Leader (TTL) of APPEALS in the World Bank, Dr. Chidozie Anyiro said that the Word Bank’s intervention through the APPEALS Project is to enhance the productivity of small small and medium scale farmers in the 11 value chains selected for the project across the 6 participating states. “We also make sure we eliminate post harvest losses as the project also supports processing,” he said.
The National Project Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Jobdi, represented by the Women and Youth Livelihood Specialist Mrs. Heather Akanni, urged the beneficiaries to sustain the businesses that have been established for them by the project as this will enhance food security in Enugu State.
In her welcome address, the Acting State Project Coordinator of Enugu APPEALS Project, Mrs. Ihuoma Eze, took time to explain the processes that culminated to the flag-off event. She stated that many people did not believe that the empowerment was real when expression of interest was done in 2019. Mrs.
Eze lauded the Governor for his support in making sure that all 1700 people have been trained and most have received their grants while implementation is ongoing.
