Delta empowers 3,921 farmers with N600m in loans

Delta State Government said the sum of N600million has been expended as soft loans and provision of farm implements to 3,921 farmers across the state through its Farmers Support Programme (FSP) to improve agricultural production.

BusinessDay reports that the objective of the programme was to assist peasants’ farmers expand their farms without collateral.

The State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan gave the hint last Wednesday at the official opening of the first Delta State domestic trade fair that took place at Osubi trade fair complex in Warri.

Uduaghan also disclosed that a total of 950 youths have been provided with jobs under the state government’s Youth Empowerment through Agriculture and Farmers’ Support Programme (YETA-FSP).

The governor who was represented at the occasion by his deputy, Amos Utuama said the youths are currently engaged in poultry, fishing, piggery and snailry.

He posited that YETA-FSP was to positively harness and empower the youths through training, provision of inputs and funds to make agriculture more attractive.

He also added that the state government has set aside the sum of N1billion as interventionist funds for the development of deplorable markets across the state.

Uduaghan said that plans have been concluded to establish five more cassava processing mills in the state.

He said the cassava processing mills will be established at Obetim, Agbor, Mosogar, Agbarotor and Koko to key into the production of starch and flour within the cassava value chain.

He further posited that four fish mills have been paid for and construction of the factories will commence next month.

The governor who opined that conscious efforts should be geared towards the improvement of agriculture and SMEs in Nigeria pointed out that a total of 37,545 rural dwellers have so far been  empowered through the state Micro- Credit Programme   since 2007.

While noting that the empowerment programmes were geared towards leapfrogging the development of the state contended that it was also to expose rural dwellers and the urban poor, unemployed particularly school- leavers, economically disadvantaged especially women and physically challenged persons to commercial activities.

By: IDRIS UMAR MOMOH