Agribusiness: Kebbi govt. disburses N126.7m grant to 8 cooperatives

The Kebbi Government in collaboration with the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), have disbursed N126.7 million to eight cooperative associations, aimed at eradicating poverty in the state.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Mineral Resources, Alhaji Maigari Abdullahi-Dakingari, made this known while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi.

“Kebbi government in collaboration with USADF signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding of 500,000 dollars each, to provide seed capital and technical assistance to local agribusinesses.

“The partnership targets eight cooperative associations that add values to commodities.”

“Kebbi State was the first to contribute its counterpart fund of 500,000 dollars and subsequently USADF gave its own part of the fund under the programme,” Abdullahi-Dakingari said.

He said that N126.7 million had been disbursed to the associations out of N319.4 million approved grant for the project.

“Five million dollars is going to be utilised for a period of five years and the disbursement has commenced already from the first approved grant of N319.4 million.”

“Dankwalli Rice Farmers Association got approved grant of N41.2 million and was mobilised with N22.8 million. Gaskiya Diary Cooperative got approved grant of N41.6 million and was mobilised with N10.3 million.”

“Also Sangara Cooperative got N36.2 million and was mobilised with N12.8 million.”

“Birgin Jigawa Dairy Cooperative and Magajin Karaye Cooperative got approved grant of N40.3 million and N36.3 million and were mobilised with N10.3 million and N14.3 million respectively.”

“Matan Fada Cooperative got N41.6 million and was mobilised with N15.1 million.”

“Dawanau got N41.2 million and was mobilised with N18.7 million, while Tondi Gada got N40.6 million and was mobilised with N22.2 million,” Abdullahi-Dakingari
explained.

The Commissioner recalled that the staff of each of the cooperatives had received training on USADF accounting policies, procedures and reporting requirements to ensure effective and judicious management of the project funds.

He also revealed that the goal was to, first of all, encourage the participating farmer associations to view agriculture as a business rather than as a subsistence activity.

“The project is expected to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit in the beneficiaries.”

“Overall, this is expected to engender an inclusive economic growth as more than 200,000 people are going to benefit from the project,” Abdullahi – Dakingari said.

The commissioner urged the beneficiaries of the project to abide by the laid down guidelines and policies of the project in order to actualise the objective it was meant to achieve.