The Kwara State Government has set aside over N400 million agriculture loan for immediate access by farmers in the state.
The state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, disclosed this on Friday during an interactive session with farmers in the state.
The farmers operate under the auspices of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kwara State.
Governor Ahmed, said, however, that only farmers who belong to recognised and functional cooperative societies in Kwara State and meet all conditions would benefit.
He explained that the new measures were designed to situate agricultural practice within the concept of value chain programme as government would not only create access to fund for the farmers but also provide them with reliable buyers for their farm produce.
The governor assured the farmers that non farmers would not benefit from the loan scheme, adding that Kwara State was “interested in doing business with those interested in agriculture business.”
Ahmed ascribed the state government’s commitment to the transformation of the agricultural sector through a value chain to the realisation that subsistence farming on its own cannot propel agricultural revolution.
“Under the value chain agriculture programme,” the governor said “government has chosen maize, cassava, soya beans and rice as pilot crops.”
He explained further that the policy was to establish agricultural malls to create access by farmers to farming equipment and seedlings in a one-shop format.
Some of the farmers who spoke at the interactive session commended the state government for instituting an agricultural practice that could revolutionise agriculture in the country and advised that the thrust of the policy be faithfully implemented.