U.S. Government Launches $2.5 million Water and Sanitation Project for Kaduna & Bauchi States

The U.S. government, through its Agency for International Development (USAID), launched a new water and sanitation activity that will help Kaduna and Bauchi states improve the health and hygiene of their populations.

Water and SanitationUnder the two-year, $2.5 million Water and Sanitation Coordination Project (WCP), USAID will work with Bauchi and Kaduna states.  Both states have recently received substantial investments for water and sanitation infrastructure from the World Bank and African Development Bank.

The WCP will provide governance support for these new infrastructure facilities and also generate data critical to develop enhanced Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programming and build a community of practice for WASH professionals throughout Nigeria.

USAID is working with the Kaduna and Bauchi state water boards to maintain a path toward financial and commercial viability.  By strengthening their capacity to make solid investment decisions, improving billing and collections, and being responsive to the concerns of their customers, more people and businesses will ultimately have access to water and sanitation services.

According to the UN, about 57 million people lack access to safe drinking water in Nigeria.  Each year, waterborne illnesses kill around 1 million Nigerian children under the age of five.

The new activity builds upon the USAID Sustainable Water and Sanitation in Africa activity in Bauchi, Ebonyi, and Rivers states.  Improving WASH services is a component of a broader Memorandum of Understanding in support of economic growth between USAID and the Kaduna state government signed in April.

 

 

Cros Agro Invests in Potato, Coffee, Oil Palm Plantations in Kaduna State

Cros Agro Allied Limited, a BlackPace company, is making huge strategic investment in potato, oil palm, coffee and ginger production in Nigeria to create employment opportunities and boost agriculture in both Kaduna and Plateau States respectively. With various farms in Gurara, Kachia, Mangu and Kafanchan areas, the firm is diversifying its agribusiness aggressively.

Leading the way in the production of the Irish potato value chain, Cros Agro is investing in the critical enabling components that ensure long time sustainability of the industry. The firm currently owns 700 hectares of oil palm plantation with additional 6,000 hectares underway, 1,500 hectares of ginger farm, 1,200 hectares of potato field and 10 hectares ready for processing facility in Gurara.

The company currently employs close to 60 farmers and will create additional 250 direct jobs immediately its potato processing plants resume in 2018. Its goal is to support socio-economic development of rural Nigeria while improving on quality of life.

In addition to boosting its processing business in the Potato Value chains, Cros Agro has reached an agreement with Rosenqvists Food Technologies to supply its 5,000 kg an hour French Fries and Potato Flakes processing plants. The plant will be completed in December 2017 and unveiled for operation in April 2018.