The Nigeria Incentive Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) has entered into partnership with the Niger state government to promote rapid mechanized agricultural development in the state.
The Managing Director of NIRSAL, Aliyu Abdulhameed stated this yesterday in a courtesy visit to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state in Minna. He said that the organisation created by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has spent over N65.6 billion on 61 projects to boost agriculture and other related projects in 11 states of the federation. He said that about 185,000 Agricultural Extension Officers and bankers have been trained the 11 states aimed at transforming agriculture in to agribusiness in Nigeria.
Abdulhameed said that as part of the partnership, NISRAL will guarantee the supply of 200 new tractors to farmers in the state while it will also repair all broken down tractors and heavy duty equipments available in the state. He said that the organization will also be involved in auditing, acquiring and maintenance of abandoned equipments in the 25 local governments of Niger state as well as provide technical and financial support to boast agricultural production. In a remark, Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello explained that that state was having over 9 million hectres of land available for agriculture but only 500 hectres were cultivated.
