Ahmed Ododo, governor of Kogi State, has unveiled a Community Revolving Fund loan disbursement allowing cluster groups of farmers in the state to access $25,000 each.
The CRF loan is facilitated under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes project in collaboration with the World Bank.
The scheme is an initiative aimed at addressing the challenges of climate change as well as supporting community agricultural efforts.
In his remarks at the unveiling on Wednesday, at Government House in Lokoja, he thanked all stakeholders involved in the project and emphasized his administration’s commitment to agricultural development.
Ododo equally noted that within five months, his administration has implemented various initiatives to enhance agricultural productivity, including the provision of agricultural machinery for mechanisation, agricultural inputs, training, and capacity building for farmers.
The CRF loan disbursement prioritises women, with 70 percent of the beneficiaries. Ododo urged the ACReSAL CRF beneficiaries to utilise the loan judiciously, stressing that it is designed to support their agricultural endeavours and improve their livelihood. He also assured that the loan would boost agricultural practices in the catchment areas, leading to increased food production and security.
Earlier in his remarks, Yusuf Umar Aliyu, speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, emphasised the importance of partnership for progress, as highlighted in the 17 thematic areas of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Represented by Jibril Abu, he commended the governor for his leadership and commitment to the development of the state.
Also, Ladi Jatto, the state Project coordinator of ACReSAL, commended the governor for his commitment to the success of the project in the state, saying that the governor has made it easy for the people of Kogi to take advantage of the project.
She called on the beneficiaries to make the best of the opportunity by using the funds for the purpose stipulated.
Mukadam Asiru, Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Kogi State, and Olusegun Joseph, his Environment and Ecological Management counterpart, thanked the governor for paying due attention to the plights of rural people.
The Obaro of Kabba and the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland also commended the governor for his efforts in supporting the agricultural sector.
