The Islamic Development Bank, IsDB, has partnered with the Katsina State Government to implement a $60 million, five-year community-led agricultural development project aimed at improving the livelihoods of farming households across the state.
The project, titled Katsina State Integrated Agricultural Development Hubs Project, is designed to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen resilience, reduce post-harvest losses and improve market access and value addition for at least 120,000 farming households.
The initiative, which will be implemented with a strong focus on inclusion, targets 40 percent women and 30 percent youth beneficiaries.
The project will support investments in climate-smart agriculture, improved seed systems, irrigation, mechanisation, livestock development, agricultural financing and digital agriculture.
It will also facilitate the establishment of integrated Agricultural Processing Centres and Agro-Logistics Centres to strengthen the agricultural value chain from production through processing, storage and marketing.
According to the project framework, the interventions are expected to increase farmers’ incomes, stimulate private-sector investment, create employment opportunities and promote sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural transformation in Katsina State.
The project will further promote climate-resilient farming through solar-powered irrigation, efficient water-use systems and sustainable land management practices aimed at improving environmental sustainability and farmers’ resilience to climate change.
It will also strengthen rural livelihoods through targeted training, extension services and entrepreneurship support, particularly for women and young people.
The Katsina State Government said it has fulfilled all technical and financial requirements necessary for the project to become effective.
It said the completion of the process marks the end of technical and administrative discussions that have spanned more than 20 engagements between the state government and the IsDB since 2024.
The state government expressed its commitment to ensuring effective implementation of the project for the benefit of farming communities across Katsina State.
It added that the relevant state development board would continue to provide coordination and support for the implementation of community-driven projects and programmes on behalf of the people of the state.