A former Commissioner for Land, Survey and Urban Development in Delta, Mr Raymos Guanah, has called for a review of various Federal Government agricultural loan scheme for farmers.

Guanah told newsmen in Asaba that there was the need for the procedure for accessing the loans to be revisited.

“Presently, not all banks have desks for agricultural matters that handle farmers’ issues. Such a situation has made it cumbersome for farmers to get information and make enquiries about agricultural loan schemes,’’ he said.

Guanah urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure that all banks in the country established agricultural desks so that farmers would have easy and prompt access to government’s loan facilities.

He decried the situation on ground whereby it takes farmers more than six months to process loans.

“It is not good where a farmer will apply for loan and, more than six months after his facilities had been inspected by relevant authorities managing the scheme, the farmer will still not be able to access the loan.

“Presently, there are many farmers who applied for various forms of agricultural loans more than one year ago and have not been granted the facility up till now,” Guanah who is currently chairman of Raymos Guanah Farm, said.

He then urged government to make it possible for farmers to obtain loans meant for them if food security must be attained in the country.

“The loans must be given to them shortly before the rains, every year,’’ the former commissioner said.

He explained that this would enable the farmers to put their farms in order in terms of cultivation, planting and application of necessary farm produce-enhancing chemicals like fertilisers.

Guanah also urged government to devise another method of disbursement by the banks.

“We need another way of disbursing the money from the agricultural loan, rather than letting the banks hold on to it and give it out when they like and to whom they like.

“For God’s sake, these funds are from the government and do not belong to the banks.

“This idea of releasing funds for agricultural loans every year, and the banks holding on to the funds without allowing farmers to access them is wrong,’’ he said.