Nigeria

Millennium Villages Project in Nigeria

The Millennium Village concept is based on the idea that impoverished villages can transform themselves and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 if they are empowered with proven, powerful and practical technologies.

With targeted and low-cost investments in the villages, the experiment is designed to demonstrate how the eight MDGs can be met in rural areas through community-led development. The first Millennium Village was started in Sauri, Kenya in 2004. Its immediate success has led to the establishment of 75 other such villages in 12 African countries.

The Millennium Village concept, a bottom-up approach for lifting villages out of the trap of poverty, is operated with financial and technical supports from the Earth Institute/Columbia University, the Millennium Promise, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), governments and donors.

Two Clusters in Nigeria

In 2006, the Millennium Village concept berthed in Nigeria. Two clusters have been established so far, one apiece in the southern and northern parts of the country. These are the Ibaram/Ikaram Millennium Village Cluster in Ondo State and the Pampaida Millennium Village Cluster in Kaduna State.

Both clusters were officially launched in mid 2006 and have recorded some progress. These villages have introduced a broad range of interventions that simultaneously address the specific needs of each cluster. The interventions are designed to transform the communities by enhancing their productivity, health, education and access to markets.

Ikaram/Ibaram Cluster, Ondo State

The Ikaram/Ibaram cluster is made of seven communities in Ondo State. Thirty thousand beneficiaries are targeted. They are funded and supported by the Ondo State Government, the Earth Institute of Columbia University in New York, and UNDP.

Starting with agriculture, the Ikaram/Ibaram Millennium Village is focusing on four areas with high impact for meeting the Millennium Development Goals for the next two years. These are: agriculture/environment, health, education, and water/infrastructure.

With support provided through farm inputs and extension services, the cluster planted maize in July. It recorded bountiful harvest from October 2006, with yields six times higher than the pre-intervention stage, signposting increased productivity, improved nutrition and enhanced income for 30, 000 villagers.

In the area of health, essential drugs are being procured for the four health centres in the cluster, 25 health officials have been recruited, baseline studies are being conducted and bed nets are to be distributed soon. For education, classrooms are being constructed, teaching kits are being procured and teachers are being retrained. There are also plans to construct solar powered boreholes in 2007.

Pampaida, Kaduna State

Pampaida is made up of ten settlements, with an estimated population of 5000. It is a typical village, with no electricity, far and ill-stocked clinic, and regular food shortage. The Millennium Village in Pampaida is supported by the Kaduna State Government, the Earth Institute of Columbia University in New York, and UNDP.

The project was officially flagged off on May 23, 2006 by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, who identified five priority areas for the first year: good agricultural harvest, provision of potable water, building of clinic, increasing school enrolment, and provision of v-sat for the office.

The following outcomes have been achieved so far: 150 percent increase in yield on maize harvest, health surveys conducted, about 300 per cent increase in school enrolment, new block of classroom constructed, electrification of the village is on-going, local dispensary has been constructed and a village grains store is under construction.

There are immediate plans for construction of two new classrooms and the clinic, distribution of treated bed nets, support for dry season farming and provision of livestock extension services.