2,038 Maize Farmers Get N329m Loan in Osun State

Osun State government has provided a total sum of N329 million credit facility to 2,038 maize farmers in the state.

This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Adebayo Adewole, on Friday in a statement titled ‘Osun empowers 2,038 maize farmers with N329m’.

The facility, agricultural input loans called Economies of Production, was provided under the Anchors Borrowers’ Programme to revitalise the agricultural sector of the state.

In the statement, it was stated that Osun State government partnered the Central Bank of Nigeria, Unity Bank and the Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria to empower 2,038 maize farmers in the state.

Adewole, applauded Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, the Osun State Governor for his effort at revitalising agriculture in the state.

He said, “This is a big programme as far as agriculture is concerned in the State of Osun, one that should have necessitated a carnival, but we understand that the COVID-19 safety protocols must be strictly adhered to.”

“This is because there has been a tremendous improvement in the number of beneficiaries under this programme in the past two years; but the governor and the ministry of agriculture want more.

“Today, each farmer is getting an EOP of N161,815.96, bringing the total disbursement to N329.78m.

“N329m is a good sum though small compared to what other states get.

“So, we are hoping to empower farmers to the tune of N10bn in the nearest future.

“We will like to thank the Central Bank of Nigeria and other development partners for this milestone, while we encourage more farmers to register with the ministry in order to benefit from empowerment schemes.”

Speaking on the facility, Mr. Atoyebi Sunday, the State Director of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, representing the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, appreciated the state government’s efforts at achieving zero hunger agenda of the ministry.

He said, “I want to congratulate farmers in the state, and also appreciate the authority for organising this programme.

“It is a good thing to be a farmer and it is important that farmers know their roles.”

Sunday added that the ministry objective was to end hunger in Nigeria by 2021.