From Paul Orude Bauchi
The Bauchi State Project office of the AGRO-Climatic Resilience in Semi-arid Landscapes (ACRESAL) is set to distribute the sum of 250, 000 dollars ( N374 million) to 1750 farmers to boost agricultural production.
The State ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Dr Ibrahim Kabir, disclosed this in an interview with Daily Sun in his office, on Wednesday.
ACReSAL is World Bank Assisted Project currently taking place across 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in three sectors of agriculture, environment and water.
Kabir explained that 250, 000 dollars would be distributed to 10 communities in Bauchi State under the Community Revolving Fund (CRS)
“This is an initiative of ACReSAL to support small famers in their own domains so that they can build their agricultural production,” he said.
He said the Bauchi Project Management Unit (SPMU) conducted a baseline study which discovered that most farmers lacked inadequate capital.
“The only way to support the farmers so that they can harness their potentials is for them to have capital,” he said.
“His Excellency, Governor Bala Mohammed has already approved and the money has been released by the World Bank.
“We have Community Interest Group (CIGs) across the 10 communities.
“Each of the communities have seven CIGs and each CIGs have 25 members, which give total beneficiaries of 1750.
These are the direct beneficiaries, of whom 40 percent are women”
Kabir explained that the CRS is a soft loan, adding that ACReSAL will not retrieve but returned to their CIGs accounts for the communities called CRS Management Communities who are the custodians of the money.
“So the money will be revolving round the communities,” he said.
“We have provided some machinery, including insurance in case of disasters such as flooding that affects farmlands.
“Each of the communities have board of trustees to ensure that the money is well utilized”