Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has said the best way to eradicate poverty in the society is to cultivate more lands for agriculture.
Abdulrasaq, stated this in Ilorin when the board of Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF) paid a courtesy visit to him at the Government House.
According to him, “If we really want to rise above the poverty line, the way to do that is through agriculture.”
He added that, “There is a need for renewed focus on agriculture and agro processing.
“Kwara is located in a part of Nigeria where the land is arable. We hope to make you our partner in progress (to drive agricultural growth). We hope to work with you immediately.”
He also called for more enlightenment on the activities of various government initiatives to support agriculture, saying not many people are aware of the opportunities that are available with the ACGSF.
AbdulRazaq, also said the state government plan to pursue several developmental initiatives through the Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Earlier, the chairman of the board, Mr. Okokon Udo, said the scheme encourages banks to lend to farmers by providing guarantee for loans for crops and livestock production and processing.
“It mitigates risks associated with banks’ lending to agriculture through formal assurance to pay banks 75 per cent of the net amount in default in accordance with the provisions of the enabling Act,” Udo said.
He said while Kwara was the third state with the highest number of loans from the scheme, there was a need to further enlighten the public on the advantages of accessing the facilities to, “empower themselves and enhance their agricultural activities and income-earning capacity.”
