Kwara receives N1bn agric loan from CBN

The Kwara State Government has confirmed the receipt of the N1 billion agricultural loan solicited from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and has commence the registration and biometrics capturing for farmers across the state for disbursement of the fund.

This was disclosed to journalists in an exclusive interview with Anu Ibiwoye the special adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Rural Water Support Services on Monday.

“I confirm that the N1 billion agricultural loan just came in about a week ago. We are starting with our estate farms, we have 400 hectares in Oke-Oyi, 100 hectares at Malete in Moro, 50 hectares in Owode-Ofaro in Ifelodun, 50 hectares in Oke Ero, and 25 hectares in each of the 16 Local Government Areas of the state,” Ibiwoye said.

“We also have plans for individual and farmer groups that will benefit from the loan by the government. As you can see we already are concluding on our farmers list,” he said.

According to the special adviser, hectares of land have been allocated to different categories of farmers including the youth’s integrated farmers, local farmers, women cooperative farmers youth groups and individuals among others.

He explained that they are allocating between two and five hectares for individual farmers and 10 hectares to cooperative groups.

“Basically in our template we are proposing to do N129, 000 per hectares for soya beans, N203, 000 for maize and N212, 000 per hectare for rice. The concept of what we are doing is that we are going to advance this amount of money to farmers per hectare not essentially by cash but in gesture by giving seeds, chemicals herbicides, fertilizers and state government through off takers arrangement, will buy back these products in each farming season.

“The process of acquiring this loan is simple; our farmers are to open an account with any of the two selected microfinance banks (APEX and KCMB) and we have sent messages sensitising all the farmers already. We have a structure on ground to fasten the process through automation and we have software that can track each farmer’s account,” he said.

The governor’s aide stated that once the bank registration and biometrics of the farmers are captured the loan disbursement will commence immediately.

He debunked the allegations that farming activities is being hijacked by portfolio farmers in the state. “The templates we have here have captured youth farmers, women, cooperatives and individuals that are interested in farming without limitation whether you are a politician, civil servants or not,” he said.

He added that farming is open to all interested persons including civil servants and politicians that are serious odour doing farming as a business.

 
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin