The Federal Government has revealed that it will create 18 million jobs in Agriculture, including 100,000 farmers across the country, News About Nigeria reports.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, made this known after the conclusion of the 137th National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
He stated that the council has put in plans to channel at least $1.52bn donor funds into 36 special agro-industrial processing zones across the nation.
According to him, the first phase of the agricultural project, which will cost over $520m, now runs in Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Cross River states as well as the Federal Capital Territory and is set to conclude by 2028.
The Minister also noted that at least twenty-six states had expressed their interest in joining the second batch of the programme, adding that the estimated funding of about $1bn will come from the African Development Bank, AFDB, and that the interested states will begin documentation for the second phase by the first quarter of 2024.
Other banks invested in providing funds for the programme include the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, who voted $1bn to deliver SAPZs in 24 states at the Norman Borlaug International Dialogue, World Food Prize 202, in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, in late October.
This, he noted, was in addition to the initial $520m voted by the development partners for the same purpose.
He assured Nigerians that there would be opportunities for over 3,000 jobs, even at the construction stage.
