The Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) has been hailed as an effective means of realizing food sufficiency and security across Nigeria. This assertion was made by the National Coordinator of RAAMP, Engr. Aminu Bodinga Mohammed, during the 7th Joint World Bank and French Development Agency Implementation Support Mission of RAAMP held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
Engr. Mohammed emphasized the crucial role of RAAMP in improving rural roads and trading infrastructure, which are essential for boosting food production. He highlighted that most urban centers rely on rural communities for their food supply, and successful implementation of RAAMP could significantly enhance food security across the country. He called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to ensure the project’s success.
The mission aimed to evaluate the current implementation status, milestones, and challenges faced by the 19 states participating in RAAMP. Engr. Mohammed announced that arrangements were at an advanced stage for the commencement of civil works on agro-logistics centers (ALCs) by September 2024, with 23 major contracts to be awarded across the states. These ALCs are market hubs prioritized for transformation to ultra-modern standards in rural communities to empower and enhance the livelihoods of the people.
Task Team Leader of the World Bank, Mr. Rakeesh Tripathi, hinted at a potential scale-up for the project. However, he emphasized that only states with established and operational Rural Access Road Agencies (RARA) and State Road Funds (SRF), backed by the necessary counterpart funds, would be eligible for the scale-up funds. He advised all states to take advantage of the mission to get the support needed to tackle challenges facing their State Project Implementation Units (SPIUs), adding that all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would be encouraged to embrace the scale-up project.
The exercise included presentations by the State Project Coordinators of the respective participating states, question and answer sessions, comments, and observations from stakeholders. The Task Team Leader of the French Development Agency (AFD), consultants from the World Bank, the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU), and State Project Implementation Units (SPIUs) of RAAMP also attended the mission.