‘Ogun farmers not making best use of CBN loan scheme’

Adepeju Adebajo, Commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State has said farmers in the state that participated in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrower Programme are not making the best use of the loans granted to them.


Adebajo who said this during a one-day workshop organised by Vanguard Pharmaceuticals in conjunction with ADAMORE Nigeria Limited to train farmers across the state expressed disappointment at the attitude of the farmers towards the programme.

She said the loan scheme, a CBN initiative designed to promote agriculture productivity, would elevate the status of the farmers and boost agriculture development if the targeted beneficiaries had taken full and proper advantage of the loan.

The commissioner represented by Mr.Tunji Kanimodo, Director in the ministry, urged the farmers to form cooperative groups in order for them to be able to access the loan and improve their businesses. “Farmers can benefit from the programme by forming cooperative groups after which they can then approach the CBN here in Abeokuta for a loan of N1 million, at least.”

The commissioner disclosed that poultry farmers in the state are not producing enough chickens to meet current demand of industries and some of the customers now go as far as Benin Republic to buy chickens for their operation.

In his welcome address, Mr Odukoya Taofik, Chief Executive Officer of Vanguard Pharmaceuticals, enjoined farmers in the state to pay more attention to the farming business. “As long as humans will not stop eating food, farming business can never suffer.



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