News in brief: The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kaduna State has launched a distribution program for the 2023 farming season, aiming to benefit 4,600 farmers with about five bags each of fertilisers on loan. The initiative aims to alleviate financial burdens that farmers face.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has begun selling and distributing fertilisers to farmers on loan for the 2023 farming season, a news report claims. Its Kaduna State chapter flagged off the exercise in Zaria.
Farmers from the 23 local government areas of the state partook in the occasion, as another source reports. The Kaduna AFAN state chairman, Alhaji Nuhu Aminu, told reporters at the event that the initiative was borne out of a need to alleviate the financial burdens that farmers were experiencing. He said that this became necessary in the light of current economic realities leading to high cost of farm products.
Aminu added that the association intends to see 4,600 farmers benefit from the project, and assured of equitable distribution. Benefitting farmers are to receive five bags of assorted fertilisers each.
However, he admonished beneficiaries against any form of diversion or mismanagement of the commodity, calling for its judicious use.
The AFAN is the apex body of farmers commodity associations, cooperatives and other agro-allied bodies in Nigeria. Its mission is to promote, protect and defend farmers’ interests in Nigeria, according to its website.
The association coordinates, facilitates, supervises, and regulates on all issues affecting farmers. It also promises overall development of farming and agricultural matter in the country. This initiative to distribute fertilisers on loan is one of such development projects.
Last month, agriculture-focused fintech startup Tingo Mobile advanced a loan facility of â¦3 billion to AFAN to boost wheat and rice production in Nigeria by thousands of metric tonnes. The association serves about 12 million members and connects them with credit opportunities through numerous partnerships.
