The Federal Government has unveiled plans to empower smallholder farmers in Akwa Ibom State under the FarmerMoni scheme to boost food production and livelihoods.
The initiative, part of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), was announced during a sensitisation programme on Thursday in Uyo.
National Programme Manager of GEEP, Hamza Baba, said the intervention targets farmers in oil palm, cassava, rice, fisheries, poultry, and coconut value chains.
According to Baba, the scheme will provide recoverable loans with a moratorium of six to nine months to enable beneficiaries to invest and harvest before repayment.
“FarmerMoni specifically targets smallholder farmers, enabling them to expand production, improve productivity, and ultimately enhance food security across the South-South and the nation at large,” he said.
He added that beneficiaries will be monitored through a digital dashboard to ensure accountability and proper utilisation of funds. Loans are expected to be used for inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, feed, fingerlings, seedlings, and basic farm infrastructure.
Baba urged farmers to repay the loans to sustain the programme and allow others to benefit.
The initiative is implemented by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) as part of efforts to promote financial inclusion and support grassroots farmers.
Speaking at the event, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Emem Ibanga, said the programme aligns with the state government’s development agenda and the ARISE Agenda’s agricultural revolution pillar.
The state recently commissioned the Ibom Agricultural Equipment Leasing Facility in Uyo to accelerate mechanised farming and support commercial agriculture.
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