By Giwa SHILE
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has granted over N1 million agriculture development loans to nine trade associations at Guri Local Government Council of Jigawa.
The IFAD Coordinator in the council area, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad, disclosed this in Guri on Wednesday while disbursing the funds and distributing equipment to Kalwa women in Abunabo and Nagarta Fish Sellers Association, among others.
Mohammad said N250, 000 was released to the smoked fish sellers, while other beneficiaries got 10 irrigation pumps, 27 bags of fertiliser, 10 bags of paddy rice and 15 bags of flour, among others.
He said all the beneficiaries were expected to repay whatever they received in cash within one year and six months.
The Council Chairman, Alhaji Barkono Adiyani, commended IFAD for the loans, which he said, would assist the beneficiaries to become self-reliant.
Represented by the Council’s Supervisory Counsellor for Works, Alhaji Umaru Madugu, Adiyani, urged the beneficiaries to repay the loans in time so that others could benefit from the funds.
Some of the associations had disbursed part of the funds they received from IFAD to their members, while others purchased farming equipment and distributed same to their members.
