A policy evaluation of the world bank Agro-Processing productivity enhancement and livelihood improvement support and agricultural development in cross river state, Nigeria

The World Bank sponsored the Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project in Cross River State, Nigeria, from 2017 to 2023. The project aimed to improve the storability and marketability of agricultural produce by establishing aggregation and cottage processing centres, as well as training farmers on post-harvest management systems, based on lessons learnt from previous food crises. As a result, the study aimed to determine whether establishing these centres and providing post-harvest management systems through APPEALS enhanced the storability and marketability of agricultural products by agribusinesses in the case study area. The study employs stakeholder theory as its theoretical framework. Data collection sources included primary sources (from questionnaires and interviews) and secondary sources (government publications, journals, and online materials) published between 2017 and 2025. The study used a mixed-methods design. From a population of 10,177 personnel from government agencies and project beneficiaries, a sample size of 509 was selected, proportionally allocated, with each respondent purposely chosen as either a facilitator or a beneficiary. Quantitative data were analysed using simple linear regression, while qualitative data were examined through descriptive analysis. The findings show that establishing aggregation and cottage processing centres through APPEALS and providing post-harvest management systems significantly improved the storability and marketability of agro-products by agribusinesses, with variance contributions of 12.4% and 6.2%, respectively. The results also indicate that stakeholders’ roles shaped the project outcomes. The study recommends expanding food safety training, integrating automation and ICT in food packaging and storage to enhance food security and sustainability, and providing clarity on stakeholders’ roles to foster better synergy and collaboration for improved policy outcomes.