Contacts In Washington: Eric Chinje +1 202 458 8418 echinje@worldbank.org In Abuja: Obadiah Tohomdet (234-09) 3145269-74 otohomdet@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, July 1, 2008 – The World Bank, in an historic move, today approved two credits totaling US$450 million to support the Federal and State Governments of Nigeria in the fight against rural poverty. The Board of the Bank approved US$250 million for FADAMA III and US$200 million for the Community and Social Development project. Both projects are community driven development operations and have been developed as follow-up to the highly successful FADAMA II, Local Empowerment and Environment Management Project (LEEMP), and Community-based Poverty Reduction Project (CPRP) in the country. FADAMA III will support provision of economic and productive goods and activities in rural areas in the 36 States of the Federation plus the Federal Capital territory (FCT). The project is to focus on increasing the incomes of the users of rural and water resources on a sustainable basis. By increasing the incomes of the rural poor, the project will help reduce rural poverty, increase food security, and contribute to the achievement of a key Millennium Development Goal (MDG). All States in the Country are eligible to participate in Community and Social Development project (CSDP) which will support provision of social services and natural resource management. The project will support the empowerment of communities to develop, implement and monitor micro social infrastructure projects including natural resource management interventions as well as social risk management interventions (safety nets). The project will also strengthen the skills and capacity of Local Governments and sectoral public agencies to support communities and build partnership between them. Essentially, the project will ensure sustainable increase in access of poor communities to social services. “I am excited that our Board approved such important amounts for projects which will focus on the rural poor in Nigeria. These projects will put the monies directly in the hands of the beneficiary communities to implement their own projects. The Government and the Bank would jointly monitor the use of the funds to ensure results on ground. Our experience in Nigeria is that communities are prudent, transparent and accountable in using such funds, and deliver results that are directly relevant to them”, said Onno Ruhl, Country Director for Nigeria. Task Team leader for Fadama III, Simeon Ehui said, “We will build on the success of Fadama II and contribute towards the non-oil growth and rural poverty reduction in Nigeria in Nigeria. We are happy to be partners in the fight against poverty in Nigeria.” The Task Team Leader in charge of Community and Social Development project, Foluso Okunmadewa, said, “Since poverty in Nigeria is a rural phenomenon, and the poor people have demonstrated that they can be active participants of interventions that shape their life, community driven development approach is the most appropriate strategy for poverty reduction in Nigeria. The two projects will, no doubt, serve as the beacon and catalyst the country requires for rural development”. The two projects are expected to commence implementation before the end of the year 2008.
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