Business
Abia Begins N1bn Agric Loan Disbursement, Soon
The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has inaugurated the committee for the disbursement of the N1billion Agric loan to farmers in Abia.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Ike Onyenweaku, made this known while briefing prospective beneficiaries of the scheme at the Umuahia North Local Government on Tuesday.
Represented by the Head of Department, Agro-input of the ministry, Mrs Ihuoma Akomas,Onyenweaku, said that some farmers had been selected for the pilot stage.
Onyenweaku said the minister also inaugurated the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES), which was part of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government in Abia.
GES focuses on input support to farmers at subsidised rate using the E-Wallet System.
The State Government had sent forms to farmers across the state with a view to capturing and setting a data base with which to drive the GES.
“Those that were captured in the scheme will get their fertilisers and other farm inputs at the subsidised prize, while those not captured will buy at company approved price,” he said.
The commissioner said that the scheme had come to stay and would ensure that fertilisers and other inputs were taken to the door steps of farmers.
He said that NPK 20:10:10 and Urea fertilisers were the major fertiliser brands that would be distributed to the farmers.
Onyenweaku appealed to farmers in the state to embrace the programme aimed at enhancing their produce capacity.