The National Coordinator of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Engr Aminu Bodinga Mohammed has identified the critical role of rural access roads in accelerating the achievement of food security.

Mohammed made the statement during the project’s 7th Joint World Bank and French Development Agency Implementation Support Mission in Abuja.

He highlighted the important role rural farms play in supplying food to urban centres with RAAMP championing objectives is to improve rural roads and trading infrastructure to boost food production.

According to the coordinator, successful implementation of RAAMP would significantly guarantee food sufficiency and security across the country.

Mohammed also called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to ensure the project’s success.
He noted that the mission aimed to evaluate the current implementation status, milestones, and challenges faced by the 19 participating states.

He further disclosed that arrangements were in advanced stages for the commencement of civil works on Agro-logistics Centers (ALCs) by September 2024, with 23 major contracts to be awarded across the states.

According to him the ALCs are market hubs prioritised for transformation to ultra-modern standards in various rural communities with aim to empower and enhance the livelihoods of local people.
On his part, the Task Team Leader of the World Bank, Mr Rakeesh Tripathi, hinted at a potential scale-up for the project.

Tripathi however emphasised that only states with established and operational Rural Access Road Agencies (RARA) and State Road Funds (SRF), backed by the required counterpart funds, would be eligible for the scale-up funds.

The team leader advised all states to utilise the mission to get the necessary support to address challenges facing their State Project Implementation Units (SPIUs).
He also encouraged all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to embrace the scale-up project.
The event featured presentations by State Project Coordinators from the participating states, a question and answer session, and various inputs from stakeholders.

The mission was also attended by the Task Team Leader of the French Development Agency (AFD), consultants from the World Bank, the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU), and SPIUs of RAAMP.