No fewer than 130,000 farmers have benefitted from the African Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank assisted Fadama projects in Kwara.

The state's  Project Coordinator, Alhaji Yusuf Agbabiaka,  said this on Wednesday in  an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.

Agbabiaka said 80,000 farmers benefited from the projects under  the Fadama III covering the 16 local governments while another 50, 000 benefited from the  FADAMA II in 10 local governments.

He said  the beneficiaries were those directly engaged in food production, agricultural products processing, marketing, storage and distribution.

Farmers that benefited, he said,  included  those engaged in crop cultivation, animal, fishery as well as  poultry production.

Agbabiaka said the Fadama initiative  had been offering  community-driven development through provision of  infrastructural and equipment support as well as  agricultural inputs such as fertiliser, agro chemicals and seedlings.

He said the Fadama proamme constructed a total of 40 kilometres rural access roads to open up the hinterland with the capital city.

Agbabiaka  also said that a total of  87 bore holes and 191 open deep water wells were constructed for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses.

The coordinator revealed that 36 culverts, four mini bridges and 220 metres of drains  were boost  farming and ensure  food security in the state.

Agbabiaka listed other small scale community infrastructure provided for farmers in the state to include 20 assets for cattle fattening, six veterinary clinics, 138 poultry equipment and 77 livestock pens.

He said the Fadama farmers in the state had  been supported with 460 spraying machines and a fish/poultry feed mill.

The achievements  recorded, he said,  could not have been possible without the assistance of the state government which  provided the enabling environment for the project.

He commended the state government and Sen.  Bukola Saraki for their assistance to the  Fadama programme  in the state.

Agbabiaka also commended the ADB and World Bank for their assistance to farmers and rural dwellers in the areas of poverty alleviation.  (NAN)