JETHRO KATUNG.
Kano State AgroPastoral Development Project, KSADP, has awarded contract for design and supervision consultancy services for the establishment and management of 200 milk collection centers across the 44 local government areas of the state. The contract was awarded to Messrs Teamwork Global Associates, an indigenous company.
In the same vein, the project signed a contract for design and supervision consultancy services for the construction of a Veterinary Reference Laboratory at Kundila, Tarauni local government area. This was awarded to Kul-Dwell Consultants Ltd.
The contracts will cover many tasks ranging from advisory services for staffing of contractors, training, development and production of land maps and layout for various proposed infrastructure, among others.
The consultants will also provide implementation and supervisory services to ensure execution of the projects in accordance with the terms and conditions agreed upon, manage expenditure control and provide certification of materials etc.
Speaking shortly after signing the contracts, the State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Ibrahim Garba Muhammad said: “Basically, this project intends to introduce new dynamics in local milk and milks products production in this part of the world. For instance, the present milking and milk products marketing process in Kano is not hygienic and devoid of basic technology”.
As a result, “KSADP plans to construct milk collection centers with modern facilities, providing cold chain, which will lead to increase in demand for dairy products, increase in milk prices and importantly, address issues of milk quality and hygiene”, he emphasized.
The Agropastoral Project Coordinator said the Veterinary Reference Laboratory was one of the several initiatives of the project aimed at promoting animal health, ensuring safe animal derived food and generally securing public health.
KSADP, is a pet project of the Islamic Development Bank, Lives and Funds, LLF, and the government of Kano state, whose primary objective is to contribute to reducing poverty and strengthening food and nutrition security in the state by developing agro-pastoral production systems.
