As part of its strategy to boost Nigeria’s food security, the Jigawa State government has commenced the distribution of an N3.3 billion agricultural loan to state civil servants.
At the flag-off of the loan distribution, the state governor, Malam Umar Namadi, said the initiative was aimed at empowering civil servants to have more income sources and boost the country’s food security.
He said that in the first phase of the loan, 8,430 civil servants on the state government payroll will receive it.
Governor Namadi added that his government is determined to come up with initiatives that will enhance food production, job creation and poverty eradication in the state,
“I am optimistic that such agricultural loan will support our teeming civil servants to have more source of income, tackle the soaring food prices and other economic challenge,” Governor Namadi stated.
In his speech, the committee chairman for the civil servant agricultural loan initiative and head of civil service, Alhaji Muhammad Dagacire, said they opened a website targeting 14,000 applicants for the first batch, but over 27,000 people accessed the portal.
“At the end, we screened all the applicants based on the criteria laid down, and we came up with 8,430 beneficiaries for the first batch, and the portal will also open for the second batch to apply,” he said.
The loan package comprises N250,000 for millet, sorghum, and sesame. This will cover the cost of inputs consisting of three bags of NPK and one bag of urea per hectare and the provision of assorted chemicals and pesticides. The balance of the money will be provided to cover operational costs.
“For those cultivating rice, the package is up to N500,000 to cover the costs of six bags of NPK and three bags of urea per hectare and assorted chemicals and pesticides and cash balance to cover the cost of other farm operations,” Dagacire stated.