The Taraba State Coordinator of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Mr. Hananiah G. Albert, has reaffirmed the state government’s unwavering commitment to the success of the project, stressing the importance of grassroots participation and collaborative partnerships in achieving its goals.
Albert gave the assurance while receiving a delegation from the World Bank and the National Coordination Office (NCO) of L-PRES, who were in the state on a social safeguard assessment mission. The visit is part of an ongoing review across six states in Nigeria’s Northeast region.
The visiting delegation was led by Hajiya Zara Binta Goni, a Social Safeguard Specialist with the World Bank. She was joined by Barrister Fadimatu Aliyu, a Gender and Gender-Based Violence Specialist; Jubabatu Ibrahim of the Operational Unit; and Nazifi Ibrahim Wada, Conflict and Mitigation Officer at the L-PRES National Coordination Office.
Albert, in his remarks, commended the collaborative nature of the project and expressed satisfaction with the progress so far recorded in Taraba. He pledged continued support from the state government, noting that community participation and strategic partnerships remain critical to ensuring the sustainability of interventions under L-PRES.
As part of the assessment, the team visited several key intervention sites, including a solar-powered borehole and a Livestock Service Centre in Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area. In Jalingo, the delegation inspected core agricultural infrastructure such as the Cold Chain Facility, Disease Surveillance Centre, and Artificial Insemination (AI) Centre—all of which play vital roles in enhancing livestock productivity and disease control.
At the Jalingo Ultra-Modern Abattoir in Wuro Sembe, the delegation engaged with community members and stakeholders, sensitizing them on new World Bank-supported projects. These include the construction of a biodigester, an incinerator, and a modern waste management system—all designed to improve hygiene, manage waste sustainably, and protect the environment.
The team also visited project sites in Pomi Kareje, where they assessed a solar-powered borehole, a pasture development site, and a seed multiplication centre—all geared toward strengthening agricultural resilience in the state.
Speaking after the visits, the World Bank team expressed satisfaction with the implementation of L-PRES in Taraba. They highlighted the mission’s core objectives, which include evaluating the effectiveness of existing social safeguard measures, ensuring compliance with World Bank social and environmental standards, supporting local implementation teams with technical expertise, and tracking the progress of ongoing interventions.
They further emphasized the importance of strengthening stakeholder engagement and improving conflict prevention and resolution frameworks, especially at the grassroots level.
The delegation reaffirmed the commitment of both the World Bank and L-PRES to inclusive and sustainable development in Taraba State, particularly through the transformation of livestock systems and the improvement of rural livelihoods.