![Jigawa Govt. Flags Off Disbursement of $250,000 World Bank Loan To Farmers, HOTPEN](https://hotpen.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_20240515_082642-1024x718.jpg)
By Muhd D. Haidar
Governor Malam Umar Namadi has flagged off the disbursement of $250,000 World Bank Loan to 10 rural farmers communities in the state under Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project.
Speaking shortly after presenting the cheque to the beneficiaries, Governor Namadi described the World Bank intervention as a welcome development and appreciated the kind gesture that is in tandem with his 12 point agenda program.
According to him:- “empowering rural communities to enhance their own businesses and creating enabling environment for the sustainable growth of the business is clearely captured in my 12 point agenda and the World Bank Revolving Fund intervention is absolutely designed to achieve.
“I am optimistic that, the fund if injected and properly utilized by the ten beneficiary communities it will make difference, in terms of poverty eradication, jobs creation, sustainable food security and economic development.
“I therefore urged the beneficiaries and funds managers to be honest and fear God in collecting and repayment of the loan for others to benefits.”
Also speaking, commissioner for environment, Dr Nura Ibrahim explained that the Community Revolving Funds (CRFs) loan was designed to support rural communities/farmer groups to undertake investments specific to the climate-smart rain-fed crops intervention which is critical to deliver investment at community and household level.
Said he:-“CRF is not a grant but rather an investment fund for the village that can revolve and grow over time as an innovative approach to project sustainability under ACReSAL project geared to increase the adoption of sustainable landscape management practices in targeted watersheds in northern Nigeria.
“Each eligible farmers group with minimum of 10-25 beneficiary will receive $25,000 and we are targeting 2,800 group with the loan in the state.”
One of the beneficiaries from women farmers group, Hajia Iya Wawu expressed their gratitude to the state governor, World Bank and other people who contributed for the actualization of the program, and promised to judiciously utilise the fund given to them.