More than 4,600 Nasarawa farmers get NIRSAL loans to boost productivity

In an effort to complement farmers’ efforts and ensure food security, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, says less than 4,630 farmers in Nasarawa State have received loans since 2017 when they started operating in the province.

Auntyamebo blog concluded that NIRSAL, an agency under the Central Bank of Nigeria, was established to establish links between the agricultural value chain and the financial sector to increase productivity, food security, and profitability of the agricultural business in Nigeria.

Speaking in Lafia on Thursday at the 2022 NIRSAL Conference, Head, Project Monitoring, Reporting and Correction Office, Noel Dilli, said R500 million had been donated as a loan to farmers in the province to improve their productivity.

Dilli said the purpose of the meeting was to have individual meetings with stakeholders in all sectors of the agricultural sector; show NIRSAL success over their 5 years in government; show some of the NIRSAL services; demonstrate the agency’s commitment to reforming Nigeria’s AVC and its vision for the future.

He urged farmers facing financial difficulties to contact the center for funding, assuring them of the organisation’s co-operation at all times.

He said, “NIRSAL Plc to realize its vision of economic transformation and inclusive growth that will have a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians, have been supportive of all business sizes, be it small, medium or large. of the world and we hope to do more for the people.

“Since 2017, we have been able to borrow 4,630 farmers from the Nasarawa section. We have set aside N500 million for this project and many farmers are benefiting from all the 13 local government districts of the state.

“We also want other farmers with financial problems to come to us to get loans. Our efforts are to ensure adequate food and to develop the Nigerian economy.

“NIRSAL Plc does not lend to individuals but donates to co-operatives. Therefore, interested farmers will have to form a federation before they can apply for a loan. ”

Assistant Manager in the Agricultural Value Chain, Production and Integration Services unit, Onerno Obaseki, lamented the plight of some farmers who receive loans but do not repay them on set dates.

He said such a situation could hamper the organization in providing loans to other farmers in the government who really need money to improve their farming operations.

“It is very sad that about 80% of the farmers who take us have not paid and it always disturbs us from lending to other farmers who want to borrow. Therefore, I urge all farmers who owe NIRSAL to start repaying loans so that we can continue to serve our citizens without any problems, ”said Obaseki.

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