RH-GEEP 3.0: FG, Ebonyi Partner on FarmerMoni Initiative for Smallholder Farmers

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The Federal Government and the Ebonyi State Government have strengthened partnership in agricultural development with the rollout of the Renewed Hope GEEP 3-point-0 FarmerMoni initiative for smallholder farmers across the South-East.

‎ ‎The programme, organised by the National Social Investment Programme Agency in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Government, was unveiled today by the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs And Poverty Reduction, Benard Doro during a stakeholders’ engagement in Abakaliki. ‎ ‎The minister represented by the National Programme Manager of GEEP, Hamza Baba, described FarmerMoni as a flagship intervention under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. ‎

‎He explained that the programme would provide collateral-free and interest-free loans to small-scale farmers to improve productivity, strengthen food security and reduce poverty. ‎ ‎Baba disclosed that beneficiaries who repay within six to nine months would qualify for larger credit facilities through partner financial institutions. ‎

‎Earlier, Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation,Ikeuwa Omebeh, said the administration remained committed to improving rural development, agriculture and the welfare of vulnerable citizens through its People’s Charter of Needs agenda. ‎ ‎He noted that the government had invested in rural roads, modern markets, peace building and agricultural empowerment to boost food production and improve farmers’ access to markets. ‎ ‎Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring, Mrs Ann Aligwe, said thousands of smallholder farmers in the state are expected to benefit, with each beneficiary receiving up to three hundred thousand naira. ‎ ‎She urged beneficiaries to invest the funds strictly in farming activities to improve productivity and livelihoods. ‎ ‎Our correspondent report that the event featured visits to selected agricultural clusters in Abakaliki and Ezza South Local Government Areas, showcasing Ebonyi’s growing agricultural potential. ‎