The decision to this effect was muted at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the farmer’s cooperative group held recently in Abuja where other far reaching decisions were also taken.
Newly appointed national coordinator of Agro Success, Evangelist Sam Odili Agagwu, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the AGM, said all the necessary requirements needed to enable members of the group benefit from the loan facility were being put together, pointing out that the bank has promised to facilitate the process in order to make access to the funds easier.
Agagwu said because of the huge success recorded by the state coordinators of Agro Success in mobilizing farmers, more farmers have indicated interest to join the group, adding that about 500,000 new farmers will be registered between now and June this year.
He said once accessed, the funds would be used to boost the current production level of the farmers to ensure that the farm produce were not only sufficient for local consumption but for export as well, noting that the group is working closely with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council with a view to acquaint its members on how to take advantage of the available export incentives, packaging farm produce for export as well as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) initiative of the United States of America aimed at encouraging farmers to export farm produce to the US.
Agagwu said if adequately motivated, members of Agro Success group are capable of producing sufficient food for Nigerians, calling on the federal government to expedite action on the construction of silos in all the states of the federation for food preservation and storage in order to minimize the huge losses currently being incurred by farmers due to the absence of storage facility for their excess products.
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