• World Bank project targets over 50% poverty reduction with fresh funding
• Bauchi emerges among best-performing states
• FG, World Bank set for additional financing agreement
The World Bank-assisted Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project has lifted 41 per cent of participating farmers out of poverty and reclaimed more than one million hectares of degraded land across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
ACReSAL Task Team Lead (TTL), Dr Joy Iganya Agene, disclosed this yesterday at the hybrid Additional Financing (AF) Pre-Appraisal Mission held at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, Bauchi.
Agene said the project had significantly improved the incomes and livelihoods of farmers, in line with the World Bank’s objective of reducing poverty and strengthening resilience in vulnerable communities.
She expressed optimism that the proposed additional financing from the World Bank would push the poverty-reduction figure beyond 50 per cent.
According to her, ACReSAL’s strong performance has made it unnecessary to redesign the project, unlike some other interventions where poor implementation often leads to major changes.
She said the additional financing would focus primarily on scaling up existing interventions, reclaiming more degraded land and expanding the project’s impact at the community level.
Agene commended Bauchi State for its performance since the project was launched in the state in May 2023.
She also praised Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed for his support and understanding of donor-funded programmes, describing the state as one of the leading performers under the project.
The governor was represented at the event by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Auwal Muhammad Jatau, alongside state commissioners and other senior government officials.
Bauchi hosts World Bank mission
Earlier, the National Project Coordinator (NPC) of ACReSAL, Abdulhamid Umar, described the initiative as a highly successful intervention designed to address climate change, improve food security and protect agricultural productivity in northern Nigeria.
Umar said the Federal Government had officially classified ACReSAL as a performing project, paving the way for the World Bank’s pre-appraisal process for additional financing.
He explained that Bauchi was selected to host the mission because of its strong performance in implementing the project.
The NPC expressed confidence that the ongoing appraisal would result in a definitive agreement between the Federal Government and the World Bank for the release of additional funding.
He also conveyed the goodwill of the Ministers of Environment; Agriculture and Food Security; and Water Resources and Sanitation.
The ACReSAL project is focused on restoring degraded landscapes, strengthening communities’ resilience to climate change, improving livelihoods and enhancing food security across northern Nigeria’s semi-arid regions.
The ongoing Additional Financing Pre-Appraisal Mission is expected to finalise the groundwork for the Federal Government and the World Bank to conclude an agreement for the next phase of funding.
With the project’s reported gains in poverty reduction and land restoration, stakeholders expressed optimism that additional financing would expand its reach and deepen its impact across vulnerable communities in the North.
