The South-South Coordinator of the Nigerian Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative, Howard Usen, made the vow while speaking at the inauguration of the South-South Youth in Agriculture, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, in Uyo.

He said the inauguration marked a turning point in youth participation in agriculture across the region, adding that many associations fail to attract meaningful funding due to a lack of structure and proper governance frameworks.

He explained that NAADI, in partnership with the Federation of Agricultural Communities of Nigeria, will assist the newly inaugurated body in developing covenants and operational standards that would meet global best practices.

According to him, NAADI will also partner with relevant expos and institutions to provide training for executives of the association across all local government areas of the state. He noted that the training would cover areas such as cooperative management, financial accountability, and the development of templates aligned with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation standards.

“With these minimum standards, accessing funding from government agencies, development partners, and international organisations will no longer be difficult,” he added.

In a goodwill message, the Head of Development Finance at the CBN, Uyo branch, Obinna Inyiama, assured that the apex bank is fully committed to supporting agric-related projects, particularly for youths.

He highlighted the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme as a key intervention window through which farmers could access loans of up to N1 million from Microfinance Banks, adding that CBN would guarantee 75 per cent of the loan value in case of default, thereby de-risking lending to young farmers.

“The facility can last up to one year, and beneficiaries who meet repayment obligations can reapply. With just 40 per cent of the interest amount paid by CBN, even as farmers can roll over into another cycle,” Inyiama explained, urging youths to take advantage of the scheme.

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Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, commended the resilience of the Youth in Agriculture programme, recalling that Akwa Ibom youths have consistently topped national competitions due to record cassava yields and innovative farming practices.

She assured that the ministry would continue to provide improved seedlings and technical support in line with Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda on food security.

She, however, advised the new leadership of the youth body to always submit requests in good time to ensure the timely delivery of inputs.

Source: Punch