Dr. Adesina highlighted Kaduna's pioneering role in launching the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Nigeria, stating that the state's leadership in this project demonstrates a vision for both food security and broader economic development.
He also affirmed the AfDB's commitment to supporting Kaduna in expanding its school feeding programs and integrating them with the new processing zones. The AfDB also pledged further assistance for primary healthcare improvements, health insurance, and infrastructure development, including water, sanitation, and digitalization.
Governor Sani, in turn, lauded Dr. Adesina's transformative work in agriculture across Africa, recalling the impact of Adesina's E-wallet initiative as Minister of Agriculture, which benefited millions of smallholder farmers in Nigeria. The governor emphasized the importance of agriculture to Kaduna's economy, noting that it contributes 42% of the state's GDP and accounts for 60% of employment.
He explained that the state government increased the agricultural budget from N1.4 billion to N74 billion to address the sector's potential and to become the first sub-national government to meet the 10% target for agricultural budget allocation set by the 2014 Malabo Declaration. He also described the launch of the Agro-Industrial Processing Zone as a crucial project for Kaduna State.