Cross River disburses N46m loan to young farmers

Director General of the State Micro-Credit Enterprises Development Agency (MEDA), Mr Ignatious Asu, said the loan, which has since been disbursed to the benefiting youths, is interest-free and meant to support them to improve their agricultural skills.Mr. Asu made this known while briefing journalists in the state on the achievements of his agency in two […]

Director General of the State Micro-Credit Enterprises Development Agency (MEDA), Mr Ignatious Asu, said the loan, which has since been disbursed to the benefiting youths, is interest-free and meant to support them to improve their agricultural skills.
Mr. Asu made this known while briefing journalists in the state on the achievements of his agency in two years of its establishment, saying the agency established the state intervention programme for young farmers which pilot scheme was set up in two local government areas of the state – Ogoja and Yakurr – known for yam production.
He said 10 young farmers were selected from two wards of the three senatorial districts of the state which totals 230 that were specifically trained on enterprise development and new areas of agricultural development before the N46 million was disbursed to them in March, 2013 and was happy that some of the beneficiaries have started repaying the loan.
“To illustrate the success garnered so far, one of those that benefitted from the training, Mrs Comfort Obeten, won the second best yam harvester in Yakurr Local Government during the 2012 Leboku Yam Festival,” he said.
He said another 566 young graduates have also benefitted from agricultural development and micro credit training during the year.