10,000 Youths To Benefit From The Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme In Cross River

By PrimeTime Voice

It's no longer news that the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme was flag-off in 2018 with the mandate of providing jobs for the teeming youth population and to provide alternative source of revenue for them amongst other things.

Primetimevoice gathered that from it's inception in the state, the scheme has recorded tremendous success with great support coming from the stakeholders in the Agricultural sector. This development has put the state in the frontiers of agrobusiness with great support also coming from the state as advanced by the executive Governor of Cross River State to revolutionize the Agric sector.

In line with the policy thrust of the scheme, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources Ntufam Okon Owuna, in a town hall meeting organized for representatives of the farmers in the Southern Senatorial District of the state and in the Head Quarters of the Ministry of Agriculture in Calabar revealed that over 10,000 youths are to benefit in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS)

Owuna said that, the scheme is part of the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and targets unemployed youths between the age range of 18 to 35 years of age.

He further alluded that, the town hall meeting was an opportunity for farmers to meet with the Chairman and members of the project monitoring team and also interface them.

Owuna hinted that the scheme was launched by the Executive Governor Prof. Benedict Ayade on the 26th of July, 2018 at the Ayade Industrial Park. 

To further buttress the points raised by the Honourable Commissioner, the Head Development Finance Office, Dr. Aniefiok Umoren, stated that, the broad objective of the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS) is to increase agricultural production towards food security, job creation and economic diversification.

He listed the key stakeholders for implementations of the scheme and they include: The State Government, Central Bank, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, National Directorate of employment amongst others adding that the mandate is aimed at increasing Agricultural production. 

He said that, one of the basis criterion for the farmers to asses the loan is the Bank Verification Number, BVN. In his words "No BVN No Business.

He stated that the role of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as Provide the fund, Act as Managing Agent, Be represented on the Programme Management Team, Issue and review modalities and operating guidelines from time to time, Provide regulatory and supervisory oversight. 

All the above were to be done in conjunction with other stakeholders, to monitor, evaluate and conduct impact assessment of the programme and provide periodic reports on the programme he concluded.

Speaking with one of the farmers, Mr. Alexander Boniface, he commended the CBN for the regular interventions especially in Agriculture in the country. "One thing I am certain in all Agricultural scheme is that it is always free from politics. This is a not a grant like many will think it to be where they will collect monies and go into something else. The money here is refundable and only serious farmers will key into it.

This town hall meeting has also provided an opportunity for us to ask questions that were bordering us and we are very satisfied with the development. We are simply praying for the immediate commencement of the project in the area of releasing inputs for us he concluded.

Source: opera.com