FCTA boosts farmers with N500m agric loans

The Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide said that the administration  has disbursed over N500 million to farmers under the agriculture loan scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as part of measures to boost agriculture development and food supply in the territory.

Akinjide made this known to NaijaAgroNet during a visit by the management team of Bank of Agriculture (BOA) led by the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed Santuraki, to her office in Abuja and stressed that Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has entered into a public private partnership (PPP) agreement with an Israeli Firm, SEC Equipment, to build an Agriculture Services and Training Centre in Abuja.

She informed the BOA boss, that in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda, the FCTA is committed to the development of viable agricultural entrepreneurship through provision of free technical expertise and farm subsidies and to also make the sector attractive to youths and women.

NaijaAgroNet noted that FCTA would partner with the Bank of Agriculture to grow the agriculture sector and ensured that the Agriculture Services and Training Centre, when completed and operational, would become a one-stop agriculture centre in Nigeria.

Santuraki, explained that the visit by the management team was to strengthen the partnership between the bank and the FCT Administration in the areas of agricultural financing for the benefit of farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs in the capital territory.

“We have noted the giant strides that the Administration is taking to build a virile economy in FCT using agriculture as the foundation. Your effort is most appropriate at this time in the history of Nigeria when agriculture is occupying an important place in the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda,” Santuraki said.

He explained that BOA had granted agriculture loans of over N50 billion to support the agribusiness in the last 10 years, created 6,000 enterprises, six million direct and indirect jobs and added that the bank  is in a better position to manage funds earmarked by FCTA for agricultural development and poverty alleviation in the FCT.

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Lagos reiterates commitment to agricultural development

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The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to continue to implement projects and programmes that are aimed towards ensuring the provision of enabling environment for agricultural development in the State.

Speaking at the 2013 Annual Farmers Forum organized in commemoration of this year’s World Food Day, Commisioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, represented by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Government on Agriculture, Dr Nureni Funsho,  said that government is collaborating with other development partners particularly the World Bank in the FADAMA and Commercial Agriculture Development Projects through which many farmers are supported with high subsidizied inputs and infrastructure.

The Farmers Forum, NaijaAgroNet learnt is organized as an interactive forum between government and all stakeholders such as crop farmers, livestock farmers, aquaculturists, agroprocessors and the general public to dialogue and get feedbacks on government programmes and interventions.

The Commissioner said food security is one of the cardinal programmes of the present administration and assured farmers in the state that the Ministry is committed to injecting maximum impact into their lives.

 He commended the Chairman of Ojo Local Government Area, Hon. Mursiq Durosinmi  for hosting the event and for his  council  been the most steadfast in terms of support to agriculture among the Local Government and Local Government Council Development Area in theState.

NaijaAgroNet was informed by SSA to Agriculture that Wednesday 23^rd October 2013, is the date set aside for this Year’s World Food Day/Agric show celebration at De-Blue Roof, LTV 8 Ikeja, noting that the change in the date of this year’s celebration is as a result of the Eid-El-kabir (Ileya Festival) which falls on the 15^th and 16^th of October, the usual date for the annual celebration.

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pix: Lagos State Gov. Raji Fashola

Kogi focus on agriculture for transformation of state economy –Wada

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The Kogi State Government has declared its commitment in focusing on agriculture to drive the state’s economy and improve the living standard of the people of the state.

The State Governor, Mr Idris Wada, disclosed his administration intention on the state agriculture sector when he played host to the delegates of the High Level Forum on South-South Cooperation (SSC) comprising representatives from 14 countries in Africa, including Nigeria as well as Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Chinese officials.

NaijaAgroNet learnt from Wada, that if the ongoing Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Federal Government is properly implemented, it would address the peace and food security issues in the country.

"We are determined to make agriculture a focus of our administration for the transformation of the economy of Kogi State and improving the living standard of the people of the state,” he said.

*With additional report from NAN

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pix: Kogi State Gov.Mr Idris Wada,